Guess the Acronym - ICMM
Thanks to Jackie Watts and the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network for this good news story. (I think)
Where the delegates came from
Having just got back from the 2024 International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM) in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Jackie reports that The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) has been chosen by the ICMM Committee to host the next Conference scheduled for late 2026. Since its establishment 50 years ago, ICMM has nearly 150 members in 36 countries (as of 2022). All ICMM member museums may submit a bid to host an ICMM conference, but until 2026, ICMM events had been confined to Northern Hemisphere institutions. We shall see whether ‘tyranny of distance’ will impact on participation numbers in the 2026 conference. However, the 2026 event will be a marvellous opportunity for all maritime stakeholders around Australia (and others in our hemisphere) to confer. Australian stakeholders have two years to plan what we might share with other global maritime museums. What do we do? What matters, from our perspective? An international ICMM sub-committee curates the program. Visit the ICMM website to learn more
And in case you you were wondering why I dislike acronyms…. the ICMM is also the International Commitee on Military Medicine, the International Council on Mining and Metals, the Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, and an established family planning goal called “Improving Contraceptive Method Mix”.
And while we are on the subject of Maritime Museums, here are a couple that MMHN recommends
Betina Wooden Boat Museum, Croatia
MMHN Board Member Michael O’Brien shares:
Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding won a European Heritage Award in 2019. It is located in the Croatian village of Betina, one of the very special places to be found along the Dalmatian coast, on the island of Murter. Betina is a small historical village of around 800 inhabitants and is basically oriented around tourism, fishing, agriculture and craftsmanship. Among all, Betina has an outstanding reputation and is specifically known for its long tradition in wooden shipbuilding and is famous for its excellent shipbuilders. Betina nowadays is one of few remaining centres of small wooden shipbuilding on the Croatian Adriatic.
There are many types of ships being built in Betina, from small boat kaić (4m long) to big cargo ships (27m long). The Museum is intent on sharing knowledge between the older generations of shipbuilders, visitors, locals, and future shipbuilders.
See their WEBSITE for more information:
Hardanger Maritime Centre, Norway
Jackie Watts, recently visited these marvellous premises in Norheimsund, which won a European Heritage Award in 2023. For centuries, Hardanger has been a key boat-building place and it is still producing traditional wooden boats today. The centre itself commenced as a youth social project around restoring the Sloop SJ Mathilde – which involved an estimated 50,000 hours of labour!
The centre today is part of the Hardanger-Voss Museum, and the complex has 40 professional workers – one of the largest dedicated boat restoration centres in Northern Europe. It has its own Smithy, ropemaking line, and small and larger boat workshops.
See their WEBSITE for more information: