We are deeply saddened by the recent loss of two esteemed colleagues and long-standing friends of AEOM.
Michael Thomas (1935–2025), Director of Avoncroft Museum from 1968 to 1996, attended his first AEOM conference in 1972 and his last in 2019 – an extraordinary testament to his lifelong dedication to our network.
Konrad Bedal (1944–2025), long-time Director of the Fränkisches Freilandmuseum Bad Windsheim, shaped the field of historic house research and open-air museology in Europe with his scholarship, vision, and generosity. As founding director, he led the museum for 33 years (1977–2010) and became a leading European researcher in the field of late medieval house construction. His work was reflected in the development of the Medieval Architecture Group at the Franconian Open Air Museum.
Both inspired generations of museum professionals and enriched our community.