SmithGroup at 2026 Southeastern Museums Conference Annual Meeting

SmithGroup is pleased to sponsor and attend the 2026 Southeastern Museums Conference annual meeting in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, September 28-30, 2026. Connect with our museum design experts in several forums at the conference and pick up a copy of Building a Museum: This is Not a Manual during an exclusive signing event. 

Monday, September 28 | 4:00 – 5:30 PM 
Exclusive Signing Event for Building a Museum Book 
During the Expo Opening Reception in the Winston Ballroom, authors Monteil Crawley and Sarah Ghorbanian will sign copies of SmithGroup’s new book about the museum project journey, Building a Museum: This is Not a Manual. Copies will be available to purchase during the signing or bring your own copy with you for a signature! 

Monday, September 28 | 1:15 – 2:30 PM 
How Early, Informed Decision-Making Shapes Capital Project Outcomes
Too often, museums enter major capital projects with urgency but without a shared framework for making early, values driven decisions—leading to cost overruns, schedule strain, and missed opportunities for impact. SmithGroup's cultural leaders Dayton Schroeter, Monteil Crawley and Sarah Ghorbanian reframe the familiar adage “failing to plan is planning to fail” through a practical, design forward lens focused on early decision-making, prioritization, and strategic clarity.