Theme: Collections for a Changing World
To explore how science, culture and diverse knowledge systems can work together to address global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss and wider societal transformation.

Natural history collections — including preserved animals and plants, fossil material, geological evidence of change and even living collections — represent centuries of irreplaceable biodiversity documentation. As the world faces accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, and diverse ecological pressures, these collections are emerging as critical research infrastructure that can inform decision making. Sharing the outcomes from research across our globally diverse cultures and knowledge systems can better inform the role natural history collections play. Adapting to climate fluctuations, social and political change and the ongoing challenge of protecting our collections under a range of financial and physical disruptions at a time, their value and uses are increasing. Please share your research and practice-based insights on how collections can be mobilised, interpreted, and expanded to meet present and future challenges.

Submission Themes
Please nominate your 1st and 2nd preferences among the following options:
1) Exploring what is a natural history collection: 2026 and beyond.
2) Disaster preparedness – thinking about the unthinkable.
3) Urban greening and biodiversity protection.
4) Sustainability and collections conservation in a changing world.
5) Exemplars of global collaboration in natural history collections use.
6) The importance of living collections as natural history collections.
7) Collection data and its central role in monitoring environmental change.
8 ) General theme.

Submission Guidelines
1) Language: English.
2) Formats: Oral Presentation (15 min) or Lightning Talk (5 min).
3) Limits: Title ( 50 words), Abstract (250 words), Keywords (2–5).
4) Methods: Please refer to the online registration portal (to be online by mid June).
5) Author information: Presenting Author, Co-Authors and Affiliations are to be entered online through the portal the conference organiser provides. Each author will have the option to submit a 50-word work biographical note.

Important Dates (2026)

Call for Abstracts Opens: May 31st.
Submissions Close: First round June 30th; Second round July 15th.
Notification of Acceptance: July 31st.
For any questions or updates, please refer to the official website (to be online by mid June) or visit the ICOM Australia Events page

Before mid June, please email ICOM NATHIST Secretary at secretary.nathist@icom.museum