The AI shift
48th Conference from 14-17 September 2025 in Germany
From 14-17 September 2025, we will gather in Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim for the next IATM Conference! “The AI Shift: Transforming Transport and Communication Museums” examines the potential and challenges of artificial intelligence in museums.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already making its way into many museums. Perhaps you are new to the field, experimenting with AI in your daily work or have already integrated AI into your processes, transforming the way you work. At this year’s conference, we will explore this transformation: How might AI influence us and our museums? Among the questions stemming from this thought: Do we need to rethink how we develop exhibitions? Will AI fundamentally change the way we manage our collections? Our programme looks into practical experiences as well as basic aspects of the AI technology and its application.
Programme – What to expect at "The AI Shift"
Day 1: Excursion & Get together
Museum for Communication Frankfurt & Collection in Heusenstamm,
Collections: Philipp-Reis-Straße 4-8, 63150 Heusenstamm
Museum: Schaumainkai 53 (Museumsufer), 60596 Frankfurt am Main
| 12.00 | IATM Board Meeting Museum for Communication Frankfurt |
| 13.00 | Bus transfer to Heusenstamm Pre-Conference-Tour Alternative: Visit to Museum |
| 15.00 | Bus transfer back to Frankfurt/Main and Hotel Check-ins |
| 18.00 | Dinner (location tba) |
Museum for Communication Frankfurt, Schaumainkai 53 (Museumsufer), 60596 Frankfurt am Main
Session 1
| 9.00 | Welcome to Frankfurt and at “The AI Shift” |
| 9.15 | Keynote: Title TBA Ralf Krauter, Science Reporter & expert on AI in radio broadcasting |
| 10.00 | Discussion hosted by Joachim Breuninger |
| 10.30 | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 | Panel Discussion: Worries, risks and legal questions on using AI hosted by Martin Bütikofer, CEO, Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz)Introductions by the Workshop Leaders |
| 11.30 | Workshops I. Creative Commons Licenses II. Trustworthy AI III. How do we stay visible in the AI world? IV. Navigating the AI Shift – Drafting Ethical AI Guidelines for Museums |
| 12.30 | Lunch Break |
| 13.30 | Guided tours Learn More about the exhibitions at Museum for Communication Frankfurt |
| 14.30 | Panel Discussion: Opportunities of Using AI hosted by TBA Introductions by the Workshop Leaders |
| 15.00 | Workshops: Applying AI I. Innovating the Visitor Experience: An AI Pilot Project at the Swiss Museum of Transport II. Explainable AI III. (To be confirmed) IV. (To be confirmed) |
| 16.00 | Results & Discussion |
| 16.30 | Coffee Break |
| 17.00 | IATM General Assembly including News from the Field |
| 18.30 | Dinner at Museum for Communication Frankfurt |
Session 2
TECHNOSEUM Mannheim, Museumsstraße 1, 68165 Mannheim
| 8.00 | Transfer/Travel to Technoseum Mannheim |
| 10.00 | Welcome at Technoseum Claudia Paul, Head Public Affairs & Events, TECHNOSEUM Mannheim |
| 10.15 | Guided Tours through TECHNOSEUM |
| 11.15 | Coffee Break |
| 11.30 | Keynote: A Third Party? The Transformative Impact of AI on Museums Prof. Johannes C. Bernhardt, Professor for History and Interactive Exhibition Design at University of Konstanz Discussion / Q&A |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | World Café: How AI Changes the Way We Work During the World Café you will dive into different topics with changing discussion groups. Introductions and impulses will be provided by these experts:
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| 15.30 | Coffee Break |
| 16.00 | Discussion: AI and our work / Closing remarks IATM Board Members & Prof. Johannes C. Bernhardt |
| 17.00 | End of Day 3 |
| Dinner (further information TBA) |
Study Visit / Post-Conference Tour to Zeppelinheim
| 9.00 | Transfer/Travel to Zeppelinheim |
| 10.30 | Guided Tours |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | End of Conference |
Conference Programme
IATM is excited to present a rich programme. The keynotes, talks, and discussions take on a variety of matters around AI: Opportunities, risks, applications and more. Additionally, several tours at different locations will introduce you to the transport and communications museum landscape in Hessia and Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Registration
The registration to “The AI Shift: Transforming Transport and Communication Museums” is now open. You may find further information on the conference fee here.
Meet the Speakers
We are excited to be welcoming excellent experts on AI’s application in theory and practice. Learn more about them below. Further information on our speakers will be added throughout the next weeks.
Ralf Krauter
Ralf Krauter is a German science journalist, radio presenter and podcast host. He works as a senior editor in the science department of Germany’s public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, where he oversees the daily science program “Forschung aktuell”. He holds a master’s degree in physics.
Over the course of his 25-year career in science broadcasting, Krauter has produced award-winning radio reports, feature stories, and documentaries. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the prestigious Georg von Holtzbrinck Prize for Science Journalism, the Ludwig Bölkow Journalism Award, the Saarland Journalism Prize for Computer Science, and the Medal for Scientific Journalism awarded by the German Physical Society.
In addition to his editorial and on-air roles, Krauter regularly coaches researchers on how to communicate their work more effectively. He delivers keynote speeches on the societal and technological implications of artificial intelligence and moderates panel discussions and high-level events in the fields of research, technology, and innovation policy.
In recent years, he has served as an off-air moderator for institutions such as the Max Planck Society, the Volkswagen Foundation, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Forschungszentrum Jülich, and the Joachim Herz Foundation.
Since July 2023, Ralf Krauter has also been the host and reporter of “KI verstehen” (“understanding AI“), Deutschlandfunk’s weekly podcast exploring the transformative impact of artificial intelligence.
This makes him an excellent speaker to pave the way into our conference, taking us on a stroll through artificial intelligence on the first conference day.
Johannes Bernhardt
Johannes Bernhardt will deliver a keynote on the role of AI for museums with A Third Party? The Transformative Impact of AI on Museums on Day 3 of our conference.
Johannes C. Bernhardt is Professor of History and Media Exhibition Design at the University of Konstanz. He studied Ancient History, Modern and Contemporary History and Classical Archaeology at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and the Sorbonne I – Pantheon. Following his studies and a research stay at UC Berkeley, he completed his doctorate in 2011 with the study “Die Jüdische Revolution. Untersuchungen zu Ursachen, Verlauf und Folgen der Hasmonäischen Erhebung” (“The Jewish Revolution. Investigations into the causes, course and consequences of the Hasmonean uprising“(De Gruyter 2017). He continued his academic work at the Universities of Freiburg (2007-10), Mannheim (2010-14) and Bochum (2015-16), before joining the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe in 2017. There, he worked on the participatory opening and reorientation of the museum until 2023.
His work focuses on ancient history and the Hellenistic world, questions of digital transformation and the conception of digital media as well as approaches to new museology and innovative exhibition concepts.
Registration & Conference fee
Registration to the conference is open from 16 June 2025 until 30 August 2025 and possible via the IATM Website.
| Fee | What’s included? |
| 395 Euro | Participation in the Conference from 14-16 September 2025 |
| 50 Euro | Participation in the Post-Conference Tour on 17 September 2025 includes all transfers and activities organized on this day |
| Special Rate 300 Euro | Participation in the Conference from 14-16 September 2025 for member institutions attending for the first time includes participation in the panels, discussions, workshops, all lunches & dinners, transfers organized as part of the programme between 14 and 16 September |
The fee should be paid to the IATM office prior to the conference.
Further travel to and from the conference as well as costs for accommodation etc. are excluded.
You do not need to be an IATM member to be able to attend the conference.
Register via this form.