Public programs facilitate dialogue between academics and professionals, informing scholarship and strengthening practice.
Multiple day conferences, year-long colloquia, individual lectures, “conversations” between individuals, hands-on workshops, and Museums at Noon talks featuring our graduate students all contribute to the remarkable richness of MSP offerings.
Video recordings of some MSP lectures are archived for viewing in our Media Gallery.

Inaugural Conference on Community Archaeology & Heritage
March 15 @ 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Michigan League, Michigan Room
Friday–Saturday, March 14–15, 2025
Recognizing the importance of collaboration with local communities in archaeological research and heritage practice, the University of Michigan is launching a new Center for Community Archaeology and Heritage. In this inaugural conference, we will highlight the work of teams based at U-M and in Southeast Michigan, along with their local and international colleagues, to show how this collaborative approach energizes our fields.
We will welcome two outstanding keynote speakers who are well known for their innovative work in community archaeology and heritage:
Sonya Atalay, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Community-Based Research at the
NSF Center for Braiding Indigenous
Knowledges and Science
Richard M. Leventhal, University of Pennsylvania
Thoughts on the Future of Community
Projects and University Centers
Session details and registration can be found here.
This conference is generously sponsored by the University of Michigan’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, Museum of Anthropological Archaeology, Department of Classical Studies, Department of the History of Art, Office of Research, LSA Research Office, and Museum Studies Program. Founding support was graciously provided by Sharon Herbert.