INTO Bavaria: Places with purpose
Community, connection and the case for heritage

1 – 4 November 2026

This INTO conference will bring together our global family of National Trusts to explore how heritage can serve communities, foster connection and shape a sustainable future.

Hosted in Freising and Munich by Kultur Erbe Bayern, this conference offers opportunities for learning, networking and experiencing how different trusts protect places with meaning.

As we celebrate Kultur Erbe Bayern’s remarkable growth over the past decade, we also look ahead, asking how heritage sites can deliver the greatest benefit to people and planet.

We will explore how identity is built through place and how communities can best take responsibility for safeguarding heritage for generations to come.

Hosted by Kultur Erbe Bayern at the Diözesanmuseum in Freising – just outside Munich – this four‑day gathering offers a vibrant mix of discussion, discovery and hands‑on learning shaped by the priorities of our global movement.

Our four keynote speakers will explore big, future‑facing questions:

• What does it mean to be a National Trust today? Lessons from Kultur Erbe Bayern’s first ten years.
• How can heritage organisations plan for the long term in an increasingly polarised world?
• How can we build deeper, more meaningful connections between people, heritage and nature – benefiting both communities and the planet?
• How can we better understand the needs of the communities we wish to welcome?

Panel discussions will build on these themes, offering real‑world insights from international case studies on climate adaptation, youth engagement, religious heritage, and futureproofing organisations for the decades ahead.

©Diözesanmuseum Freising, Foto Dirk Daniel Mann

Delegates will have opportunities to join smaller breakout sessions – interactive, practical workshops led by participants themselves. These sessions span a wide range of topics including property acquisition, membership growth, community regeneration, disappearing heritage skills, policy engagement and creative responses to climate adaptation.

A signature highlight of every INTO conference is the chance to learn directly from live case studies. INTO Bavaria delegates will visit inspiring sites across the region and take part in workshops helping to shape Kultur Erbe Bayern’s developing visitor offer.

Most importantly, INTO Bavaria offers space to connect – with peers from every corner of our international network, sharing ideas, building partnerships and discovering new approaches to support your work at home. Browse the programme to learn more – this will be updated as more details, speakers and sessions are confirmed.

Early bird booking rates are available now – please book before 31 May for the best rates.

Please note places for delegates from the National Trust (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) have now been filled – please visit this link before making any bookings.

To secure your place or apply for support, please use the links below:

👉 Book your conference ticket
👉 Apply for a green travel bursary

Please note – all ticket and travel bursaries have now been allocated and grantees have been notified. Green bursary applications are still open.

The INTO conference is at the heart of everything we do.

Born in the 1970s as the International Conference for National Trusts (ICNT), this brilliant event gathers people from across the globe to collaborate for the protection of cultural and natural heritage.

It is an opportunity for our network to meet and discuss collective goals and challenges. Each biennial conference is hosted by a member of our global family in partnership with INTO.