Meet Up #24

📆 Thursday, July 16, 2026 ⏰ 9:30 – 10:30 am (Paris time)

INNOVATING FOR CULTURAL AND TOURISM EXPERIENCES

Museum Connections virtual meetings for professionals working in museums, cultural venues, and tourism sites.

Meet Up by Museum ConnectionsThe virtual meetings for professionals working in museums, cultural venues, and tourism sites!

A short-format session that connects you directly with those who are rethinking and shaping the cultural and tourism experiences of tomorrow.

Each Meet Up opens with a presentation of concrete projects led by museums, cultural venues, or tourism sites engaged in innovation for visitor experience. You will discover real initiatives, design choices, and field experiments — valuable sources of inspiration to nourish your own thinking.

It continues with a discussion session between speakers and participants, where you can challenge ideas, share experiences, and ask questions directly to the speakers.

In just one hour, you leave with new ideas, concrete insights, and above all the feeling of having been in direct contact with those driving change in the sector.

This webinar is intended for professionals working in museums, cultural venues, and tourism sites. Participation from other professional backgrounds may be accepted upon approval by the organizer.

Meet Up #24 How can institutions leverage their networks to develop collaborative projects?

As partnerships become increasingly central to the cultural and tourism sectors, the ability to build and activate professional networks is emerging as a strategic capability. Cultural and tourism organisations now operate in an environment where developing projects extends well beyond the boundaries of a single institution. Faced with economic pressures, evolving audience expectations and the search for more sustainable models, collaboration is no longer simply an additional way of working: it is becoming a prerequisite for growth and long-term resilience.

Whether through sharing expertise, pooling resources, expanding the reach of cultural initiatives or strengthening the attractiveness of a destination, networks of partners are reshaping the way institutions design projects and create value. This evolution also raises important questions about governance, the balance between local roots and wider influence, and the role of collaboration in driving innovation and serving the public interest.

Through complementary case studies, this Meet Up will explore the different forms these collaborative dynamics can take. Beyond the diversity of contexts, the discussion will address a common challenge: how can institutions leverage their networks to develop collaborative projects that no organisation could deliver alone? Participants will examine the conditions that enable successful partnerships, the complementary roles different organisations can play, and the various scales at which cooperation can operate, from networks of cultural venues and territorial partnerships to wider professional ecosystems. Together, these perspectives will provide practical insights into how networks can become genuine drivers of cooperation, development and innovation across the cultural and tourism sectors.

Founded in 2003 in France’s Loire Valley, Alfran supports the development and management of cultural and heritage sites across several French regions. Working both as a site operator and as a partner to local authorities, the organisation is involved in a wide range of heritage contexts, helping destinations enhance the value of their cultural assets and strengthen connections with local stakeholders.

This diversity of sites and management models gives Alfran a cross-cutting perspective on how cooperation can be developed at a territorial level. By designing complementary cultural projects, sharing expertise and coordinating multiple heritage sites within a common strategy, the organisation provides valuable insight into how collaboration can strengthen the coherence, visibility and attractiveness of a network of cultural destinations.

Discover the speaker

The French National Association of Leisure, Attractions and Cultural Venues (SNELAC) brings together nearly 600 organisations operating leisure parks, private museums, heritage sites, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens and other cultural and tourism venues welcoming family audiences. As the sector's recognized representative before public authorities, SNELAC supports professionals in responding to changes across the industry, advocates for their interests and encourages collaborative initiatives. It is also behind the Divertissement Durable label (Sustainable Entertainment Label), which recognizes venues committed to corporate social responsibility.

Thanks to the diversity of its members, activities and operating models, SNELAC has a unique cross-sector perspective on the challenges facing leisure, cultural and tourism venues. This breadth of experience fuels the work of its thematic committees, working groups and professional meetings, where peer-to-peer exchanges help share best practices, identify common solutions and support the sector's ongoing transformation. Through this collaborative approach, SNELAC demonstrates how a professional network can become a powerful driver of cooperation, innovation and long-term development across an entire industry.

Discover the speaker

Looping Experiences (previously Looping Group) is one of Europe's leading operators of regional leisure parks. Active across eight countries, the group brings together 21 destinations with complementary identities, including La Mer de Sable, Terra Botanica, Zoo de La Flèche, Planète Sauvage and West Midlands Safari Park. While each site retains its own identity and strong local roots, all benefit from being part of a European group that supports their development and encourages the exchange of expertise across the network.

The diversity of Looping Experiences' sites, audiences and operating environments provides an exceptionally rich testing ground for innovation. Initiatives developed at individual parks are shared across the network, helping to identify the most effective practices, adapt them to different contexts and continuously enhance the visitor experience. This collaborative model demonstrates how a network of sites can turn each member's experience into a powerful driver of innovation and growth for the benefit of the entire group.

Discover the speaker

Engaged expert perspectives at the heart of sector transformation

Each Meet Up features professionals who design, test, and implement new approaches within museums, cultural venues, and tourism sites. Their presentations are based on concrete projects and real-world experience, offering direct insight into the sector’s current challenges. Beyond sharing expertise, these speakers create a space for dialogue to compare practices, question approaches, and broaden everyone’s perspectives.