INTO Bermuda 2019

In March 2019, delegates from the National Trusts of the world gathered in Bermuda for INTO’s biennial conference.

Hosted by the Bermuda National Trust, the conference theme was ‘Arms Wide Open’, with delegates sharing their experience of the best ways to welcome broad, diverse audiences of heritage lovers to their sites.

From stunning properties like Verdmont and Tucker House, to threatened natural heritage in the form of Bermuda’s endemic petrel, inspiration for our 120 delegates was readily available.

Given Bermuda’s location in the middle of the Atlantic, the conference was particularly well-attended by National Trusts from the Americas.  At INTO, we were thrilled to welcome new members in places like Haiti, St Kitts, Aruba and St Eustatius, as well as to see familiar faces from our North American network.

Some members of course came from much further afield, and competition for longest journey was fierce between representatives of National Trusts in Fiji, Zimbabwe, South Korea and Australia.

The conference theme of ‘Arms Wide Open’ was embraced by delegates to the conference, keen to share learning on how to engage with new and diverse audiences.

This report captures some of the best practice that was discussed at INTO Bermuda 2019. It brings together examples of work by National Trusts globally that responds to these questions, from across the spectrum of the movement. We hope that the case studies can act to inspire further activity, as well as providing a framework for activity in other parts of the world.

Case studies

With this in mind, we’ve linked case studies wherever possible to tangible resources that can provide inspiration, learning or be a practical template. INTO’s members are typically sector-leading in their national contexts; this report aims to share that best practice in an international arena.