International Conference 17–19 October, 2025
Mafra, Portugal
call for papers

Sound has evolved into a transformative force in contemporary society, with advances like Bluetooth LE, audio interfaces, podcasts, and spatial audio reshaping interpretation and experiences in museums and the heritage sector. In such spaces, sound has undergone a dramatic shift from being considered a disruptive element to becoming an artifact and a vital expressive medium for engagement. It now serves as a powerful tool for sensorial, emotional, representational, and social connection, while advancing goals of inclusion, wellbeing, and social justice.

Sound in Museums emerges as a response to these developments, exploring how sound can be effectively exhibited in museum and heritage settings. Devised by Alcina Cortez in 2021, this pioneering forum brings together leading academics, sound artists and designers, museum curators, sound archivists, acousticians, sound engineers, and technology innovators to advance the integration of sound in museum experiences. Through interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration, Sound in Museums aims to reshape the future of sonic experiences and the understanding of music cultures in museums worldwide.

Join us for Sound in Museums 2025, taking place October 17-19 at the newly renovated National Museum of Music in Mafra, Portugal.

Chair
Alcina Cortez
Co-chairs
Edward Ayres de Abreu
Maria João Albuquerque
Susana Sardo
International Co-chair
Birgitte Folmann
Local Committee
Museu Nacional da Música
Mafra, Portugal
Scientific Committee (in progress)
Alice Semedo
University of Porto, PT
Brandon LaBelle
The Listening Biennial, DE
Caleb Kelly
University of New South Wales, AU
Christina Linsenmeyer
ICOM-CIMCIM
David Felismino
ICOM Portugal
Eduardo Coutinho
University of Liverpool, UK
Eric de Visscher
Ministère de la Culture, FR
Filippo Bonini Baraldi
NOVA University Lisbon, PT
Gabriele Rossi Rognoni
Royal College of Music Museum, UK
Holger Schulze
Sound Studies Lab, DK
Jacob Eriksen
Soundart Lab, DK
Jacob Kreutzfeldt
Center for Sonic Heritage, DK
James Mansell
University of Nottingham, UK
Joanna Norman
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Judith Opoku-Boateng
University of Ghana, GH
Laudan Nooshin
City St George’s, University London, UK
Manuel Deniz Silva
NOVA University Lisbon, PT
Maria Mendonça
Kenyon College, USA
Marion Leonard
University of Liverpool, UK
Nikos Bubaris
University of the Aegean, GR
Noel Lobley
University of Virginia, USA
Pedro Felix
National Sound Archive, PT
Salwa Castelo-Branco
NOVA University Lisbon, PT
Stefania Serafin
Aalborg University, DK
Stefania Zardini Lacedelli
Institute for Digital Culture, UK
Victoria Broackes
Co-curator David Bowie Is, Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, V&A | London Design Biennale
Vincent Debut
NOVA University Lisbon, PT
Call for Papers

Sound in Museums invites academics and scholars, museum curators and professionals, sound artists and composers, sound designers and engineers, technology developers, heritage specialists, acousticians and audio experts, and museum education specialists to submit abstracts exploring the diverse dimensions of sound in museum spaces.

Call for Multimedia Installations to be announced soon.

All works must be submitted via Microsoft CMT.

Formats and Guidelines Papers

Partnerships & Sponsors

Want to boost your organization’s visibility in the sound and museums field? Network, establish new relationships, and keep on top of the latest trends?
Join us as a sponsor at Sound in Museums 2025!

For further information, please contact us at info@soundinmuseums.com with the subject SPONSOR.

Ten themes, One conference
Sound in Museums explores 10 themes, including sound as a mode for lecturing, an artefact, ambiance, art, or live performance. It furthermore delves into crowd curation, mental phenomena, spatial experiences, and technology, addressing accessibility, innovation, and cultural insights across museum contexts.
1
Sound as a mode for lecturing
2
Sound as an artefact
3
Sound as an ‘ambiance’/soundtrack
4
Sound as art
5
Sound as a mode for crowd curation
6
Sound as a mental phenomenon
7
Sound as live performance
8
Space in sound in museums
9
Technology in sound in museums
10
The case of music museums and sound archives
Important dates
Registration
to be announced
Submission Deadline (Papers)
30 Apr 2025, midnight GMT
Selection Notification (Papers)
31 July 2025
museu da música
Location
National Museum of Music

The National Museum of Music holds one of Europe's richest collections of musical instruments from the 16th to 21st centuries, with some pieces designated as "national treasures."

With its origins dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, the museum is now being relocated to the Royal Building of Mafra. This renewed museum leverages digital innovations to engage modern audiences, blending historical information with multimedia, interactive displays, and 3D Reconstructions.

Learn about Mafra

museu da música
2024 Edition
Sound in Museums at Sonic Days, Denmark

The inaugural Sound in Museums conference was successfully held in November 2024 at Sonic College in Kolding, Denmark, as part of the annual Sonic Days event. Over 80 participants from several countries attended the conference, engaging in wide-ranging discussions and gaining insights from keynote speakers, sound studies scholars, and museum practitioners.

are you listening?