The Hands On! International Conference, a prominent global event for children’s museums and cultural professionals, has finalised the agenda for the 2025 edition hosted by Eureka! The National Children’s Museum.
The conference will take place in Liverpool from 25 to 28 November and will explore the theme Making a Difference – Raising Aspirations | Exceeding Expectations.
More than 200 delegates, including speakers from 22 countries, will discuss how museums can benefit children's lives, the sector, and society at large.
"Hands On! 2025 isn’t just another conference - it’s a gathering of people who believe in the transformative power of culture for children and families. It’s about sparking new ideas and building a future where every child feels they belong," says Liz Peniston, content and experience director, Eureka!
"The programme is designed to inspire action. We’re not just talking about making a difference - we’re showing how museums and cultural organisations can actively raise aspirations and exceed expectations.
"Eureka! is thrilled to be hosting Hands On! 2025 in Liverpool - a city that thrives on creativity and community. This event captures everything we believe in. The power of play, imagination and participation to change lives. It’s a chance to connect, collaborate and celebrate what’s possible when children are truly at the heart of what we do."
For more information and to register, please click here.
'Building confidence, empathy and joy'
The programme includes five keynotes, with two days of conference sessions, panel discussions and networking. Day three is dedicated to study tours, and offers visits to Shakespeare North Playhouse, The Bluecoat in Liverpool, The Reader at Calderstones Park, and Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in West Yorkshire.
"We’re honoured to welcome such inspiring keynote speakers - people who don’t just talk about change but embody it," says Peniston. "From Dr Helen Charman’s deep commitment to learning through creativity, to Baroness Floella Benjamin’s lifelong advocacy for children’s rights and Dame Rachel de Souza’s powerful voice for young people.
"Together they set the tone for everything Hands On! 2025 stands for."
Delegates can choose from a variety of conference sessions ranging from radical inclusion to dinosaurs on prescription and challenging 'ultra-processed play'. Sessions will be delivered by speakers from organisations such as English Heritage, Universcience Paris, CAP.Co, Children’s Museum Singapore, House of European History (Belgium), and the Miffy Museum (the Netherlands), among many others.
"Inclusion, play, wellbeing, community - these aren’t separate strands. They’re interwoven values that shape how we connect with children and young people in every space we create," says Peniston.
"This is about the long game - building confidence, empathy and joy through cultural experiences that last far beyond a single visit.
"Museums and cultural spaces have a unique role to play in helping children navigate an uncertain world. By combining imagination with equity, we can help them see themselves as changemakers.
"The most powerful thing we can do is create spaces where children feel seen, heard and valued. That’s when transformation really begins."
Hands On! recently shared plans for the 2025 event, which aims to encourage participants to consider the effects of their work, not only from a professional perspective but also from the viewpoints of children, families, and communities they serve.
