Online Registration and Abstract Submission will open in August 2026

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(2026 Meeting Logo is coming soon!)

2026 Midwest Archaeological Conference
Mankato, Minnesota (October 8-10, 2026)

Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center
1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, MN 56001

 

Meeting Organizers and Contact Information

Ron C. Schirmer  ronald.schirmer@mnsu.edu
Andy Brown andy.brown@mnsu.edu
 

Support for Students and Tribal Members

Students

To promote and encourage student attendance at the conference, all undergraduate and graduate students will receive free conference registrations. In addition, MAC offers travel grants to offset hotel and travel costs. The number and size of the travel grant will depend on funding availability. If interested in the student travel grant, please review the organization's rules and procedures for eligibility and application process. 

MAC Undergraduate and Graduate Travel Grant: [details TBD]

Tribal Members

Collaborations between archaeologists and tribal members is a critical part of our profession. To assist Tribal and Native Nation members with costs associated with attending the MAC Annual Meeting, all tribal members will receive free conference registrations. 

 

Please Sponsor! We Need Your Help!

The Midwest Archaeological Conference annual meeting is made possible through our generous sponsors—this should include you! For 2026, in addition to supporting the annual meeting expenses, we are providing funding to encourage participation and attendance by students and Tribal members. The grants for MAC student and tribal members are an ongoing effort that extends beyond annual meetings. Please consider providing support—all donations are tax-deductible (see below for more details).
 

We are offering several sponsorship tiers for institutions as well as opportunities for individual donors. Please make a donation—small or large—through the MAC website. Thank you! 

Donate Here

The MAC Student Travel Grant

MAC has established a separate fund to encourage attendance of graduate and undergraduate students to our Annual Meetings. With ever increasing costs, we realize that more and more students cannot afford to participate in our Annual Meetings. This Grant Fund is an effort to alleviate this difficulty.  An anonymous donor has offered to match donations up to $10,000, but to get this process started, we need donations from you to get the process started. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. Any amount is appreciated since it will move us closer to our goal. The number of students we can fund will be determined by the total donations received.

Donate to the MAC Student Travel Grant Here

The MAC Tribal Attendance Fund

The MAC Tribal Attendance Fund is a separate fund used to assist Tribal and Native Nation members with costs associated with attending the MAC Annual Meeting. Collaborations between archaeologists and tribal members have been steadily increasing in recent years and have become an important part of our future profession. This fund will allow more tribal members to attend our meetings and share their knowledge with our community. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. Any amount is appreciated since it will all be directed towards financial assistance to Tribal/Native Nations member attendance to the meetings.

Donate to the MAC Tribal Attendance Fund Here

 

Hotel and Parking

Hotel

Conference Hotel:

Hilton Garden Inn Mankato Downtown (link)
20 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, Minnesota, 56001, USA
(507) 344-1111

Conference Hotel Rates:

  • Attendee ($165/night for a single king or double queen room)
  • Guests must call the hotel directly at (507) 344-1111 and mention the Midwest Archaeological Conference to receive the conference rate.
  • Conference room hotel block rooms must be booked before September 9th to guarantee the room rate.
  • Free parking 
  • Other amenities: indoor pool, fitness center, and restaurant.
  • Check in time is any time after 3:00PM; Check out will be any time before 11:00AM

 

Alternative Hotels: 

 

Hotel Alexander (link)

215 East Hickory Street, Mankato, 56001, US

5079650597

hello@hotelalexandermn.com

 

 

Arch and Cable (link)

201 N Riverfront Dr Ste 105, Mankato, MN 56001, USA

507-479-1015
 

Parking and Directions   

Parking is free at the convention center for conference attendees, and free at the hotel for registered guests

 

Airport and Ground Transportation Options

The Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is located approximately 90 miles northeast of Mankato and is the largest airport near the conference. The closest airport to the conference center is the Mankato Regional Airport (MKT). There are daily connecting flights between MKT and MSP. 

 

See the ground transportation options for MSP and MKT for more details. Check out the land to air express service here. 

  

Registration Steps and Options

Opens in August 2026

Registration must occur prior to submission of paper or poster abstracts. Early registration rates are available to 11:59 PM CDT on September 21 2026 and should be purchased online through the MAC website. As of October 1st, all online registration will be closed and late registration rates will be reserved for in-person purchase at the meeting. 

A digital version of the meeting program with abstracts will be available as a .pdf file on the website and on a downloadable app. A paper copy of the meeting program may be requested for an extra charge ($20) as part of registration when purchased online. Please note that the cost of a paper copy reflects the cost of printing (yes, it is that expensive!). 

 

Registration Steps

Reminder: You must be a MAC member to present at the annual meeting
 

  1. Look through and decide which registration option from the list below is most appropriate for you. You must have an active MAC membership to purchase a MAC member registration rate. Click here to renew for 2026. 

  2. Click on either the MAC member or non-MAC member registration below. 

  3. Remember to submit your "my meeting preferences"!  

  4. After registration purchase has been completed, MAC members can submit presentation abstracts (see abstract section below).

Registration Type* 

Online Early
Price

On-site
Price

Register as a current MAC member

Regular MAC Member**

$160

$180

Retiree MAC Member**

$125

$145

Student MAC Member** (free- but still need to register)

free

free

Tribal Member** (free- but still need to register)

free

free

Register as a non-MAC member

Non-MAC Member

$180

$200

Student non-member*** (free- but still need to register)

free

free
Tribal non-member*** (free- but still need to register)

free

free

Purchase a Vendor Table

  • 20 tables are available
    • 12 vendors in Room 247 and 8 vendors in the hallway
    • Each table is 8 ft wide

Rates:

$40 per table without electricity 

$70 per table with electricity 

 

* Online early price registration is available for purchase through the MAC website through October 1, 2026. After this date, registration will be on-site only (note early registration required for access to tours, receptions, and banquet).

**Current members MAC and Tribal members are eligible to make presentations (papers or posters). If you are not a Tribal member or current MAC member but wish to make a presentation, you must first become a member and then register for the full meeting. 

*** Student and tribal non-members are encouraged to join MAC so they can register for the meeting for free!

 

Other Purchases and Events

Online
Price
Paper Program (This is the actual cost of printing a program!) Purchase $20
Tour: Belle Creek Archeological Complex  Purchase $40

 

Student Workshop

Details coming soon. 

Receptions

Receptions are planned for each evening of the conference. All receptions are free and do not require registration. However, we do encourage you to register to assist with planning purposes. To register for some or all of these receptions please go to your "My Meeting Preferences" page.

1. A Welcome Reception will be held at the conference hotel from 5-8 pm on Thursday evening. Heavy appetizers and cash bar.

2. A Hosted Reception will be held Friday from 5-8 pm. Heavy appetizers and cash bar. 

3. A Hosted Reception will be held Saturday from 6-9 pm. Heavy appetizers and cash bar. 

 

Field Trips and Tours

  • Belle Creek archeological complex tour ($40 per person)

    • Leaves at 9 am on Saturday and returns by 3 pm

    • Tour will hopefully include a chunkey game!

    • Tour includes a box lunch and beverage

 

Behavioral Expectations

To help prevent incidents of harassment in any form at the annual meeting, the MAC 2026 organizers on behalf of the MAC Board have established a policy requiring all annual meeting registrants to certify that they are not currently cited or censured under Title IX, by the Register of Professional Archaeologists, or by any other adjudicating body, or subject to a current restraining or no-contact order issued by a judicial authority. By registering for the annual meeting you agree to the behavioral expectations. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the MAC president. 

We want everyone to have a safe and fun time at MAC. If at any point during the annual meeting you feel unsafe please contact one of the following people and notify on-site security immediately for assistance:

Abstract Submissions

Paper and Poster Abstract Submissions:

Papers on all topics of interest to Midwestern archaeologists, early precontact to recent historic, are welcome. After registering for the meeting, MAC members can submit their abstract submission(s).

Submission deadline is September 21. Submit your abstract here. 

All paper and poster presentation submissions will be done online through the annual meeting links on the MAC website.

  • Each individual submission must include the following: Title, Author(s) (with institutions), and Abstract Text. Each presenter may submit multiple presentations; there is no limit to the number of co-authorships. *If a presenter has conflicting presentations (scheduled at the same time), it is their responsibility to find someone to present their papers.

  • Abstracts are limited to 150 words in length.

  • Papers will generally by 15 minutes in length, but symposium organizers may propose other formats

  • If your presentation is part of a symposium, you must also include the symposium Key Code provided by the symposium's organizer.

  • Poster dimensions must not exceed 48 x 48 inches 

     

Symposium Abstract Submissions:

Submission deadline is September 21. Submit your symposium abstract here. 

Symposium organizers will submit an abstract for each symposium online through the MAC website.

  • Each submission must include the following: Symposium Title, Symposium Abstract Text, and List of all Symposium Presentations with Author(s).

  • Symposium organizers must create a unique Key Code and provide it to their presenters. Presenters then use this code in their individual submissions. Symposia organizers are encouraged to plan ahead to avoid last-minute scheduling issues.

  • Abstracts are limited to 150 words in length.

*Special note on the use of images of human remains: MAC recognizes that images of human remains have the potential to be offensive and unsettling to some members of our community and those communities with whom we work. The MAC organizers encourage presenters NOT to use photographs of human remains but that if essential, line drawings are preferred. We ask that presenters please indicate on their abstract submission that your presentation will include any such images of human remains. We will mark these with an asterisk in the program and on the conference app. We also request that presenters disclose at the beginning of their presentations if such images are included. These measures are intended to create a more respectful environment for all.

Student Paper and Poster Competitions

The Midwestern Archaeological Conference Student Paper and Poster competition was created to promote scholarly excellence among students conducting archaeological research in the midwestern U.S. Awards will be decided by the MAC student paper and poster committee based on intellectual merit and methodological execution.

  • The poster winner receives a cash prize of $150 plus books solicited by the conference organizer from willing vendors.
  • The paper winner receives a cash prize of $150 plus books solicited by the conference organizer from willing vendors.

Eligibility:

Anyone currently enrolled in a degree granting institution may apply. Papers and posters must be single-authored and be submitted by the competition deadline. Both graduate and undergraduate students may apply; contributions will be evaluated with consideration given to experience-level of students in each category.

How to Apply:

Posters: When submitting your poster presentation abstract as a MAC student member, check the box indicating you would like to be considered for the student POSTER competition. You must register and submit your abstract by the submission deadline of September 21, 2026. By no later than 5:00 pm CDT on Friday, September 28, please email your finalized poster as a pdf to the chair of the MAC Student Competition Review (TBD) with the subject heading: MAC Student Poster Competition. 

Papers: When submitting your paper presentation abstract as a MAC student member, check the box indicating you would like to be considered for the student PAPER competition. You must register and submit your abstract by the submission deadline of September 21, 2026. By no later than 5:00pm CDT on Friday, September 28, please email a detailed outline of your paper to the chair of the MAC Student Competition Review (TBD) with the subject heading: MAC Student Paper Competition. The paper presented at the conference must have the same content as the outline submitted to the competition review committee.  The submitted outline should be detailed, well-organized, and must include an introduction, research question, discussion of data or results, and conclusions. The outline may not exceed 10 double spaced pages of text with 12 pt. font.  Accompanying figures, tables, and references cited may be placed on separate pages at the end of the paper and will not count toward the 10-page limit. Outlines exceeding 10 pages in length will not be read or otherwise included in the competition.


All submitted posters and papers must include a cover page with the paper title, abstract, the student’s name, and the degree-granting program and their current status in that program. For multi-authored entries, the lead author listed must be the primary contributor and presenter. For the paper competition, the student will need to submit a written statement clearly telling the judges what of the submitted work is their own versus what words or support their co-authors gave to the work. Students should indicate their academic advisor on the cover page. Evaluation rubrics for posters and papers will be provided at a later date. Students in the poster session will not need to submit a written statement, but will need to be prepared to talk to the judges about it at the session. Papers will be evaluated based on the submitted outline AND the oral presentation during the conference.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  5 pm Friday, September 21

The winners of the competitions will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting of the Midwest Archaeological Conference and recognized at the banquet. The winner(s) will receive their prize(s) the following day. The Committee reserves the prerogative to defer the Competition and award in the event of a shortage of entries.

 

Preliminary Schedule of Events

Additional details will be posted when available.

Thursday:

  • Paper symposia and general sessions starting at 1 pm 
  • Welcome reception from 5-8 pm

Friday:

  • AM/PM: Paper symposia and general sessions 
  • MAC Board luncheon at 12 pm
  • MAC Board business meeting at 4 pm
  • Hosted reception from 5-8 pm

Saturday:

  • AM/PM: Paper symposia and general sessions
  • Tour to the Belle Creek archeological complex at 9 am and returns at 3 pm
  • Hosted reception from 6-9 pm