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VAF 2026 | About the Conference
Columbia River Plateau
Atomic Space. Native Soil. Geologic Time.
Walla Walla, Washington | May 27-30, 2026
Conference Co-Chairs:
Amanda C. Roth Clark, Whitworth University, Dean of the Library & Special Programs
J. Philip Gruen, Washington State University, Professor, School of Design + Construction
Walla Walla, Washington is home to VAF's 2026 conference: Columbia River Plateau: Atomic Space. Native Soil. Geologic Time.
This will be the first VAF conference held in the Pacific Northwest in nearly thirty years and it will be well worth the trek. From accommodations in the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel to two days of tours through landscapes likely never before seen by most VAFers, this is a conference not to be missed. The conference is headquartered at the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington.
The conference starts on Thursday, May 28, with two different bus tours on offer. Please note! There is no official Wednesday evening event due to airplane schedules into Walla Walla but an informal wine reception will take place in the hotel. Attendees should plan to arrive in Walla Walla on either Tuesday, May 26 or Wednesday, May 27.
Thursday, May 28th offers two bus tour options, one to Pendleton, Oregon ("Pendleton and the West") and the other to Walla Walla and environs ("Walla Walla Land"). Both tours will arrive at the Gesa Power House Theatre the official conference welcome and keynote address in the evening.
On Friday, May 29, attendees will take the bus tour to Washington's Tri-Cities region ("Atomic Space: Hanford, Richland, East Pasco"). We will begin by visiting the Hanford Site and, throughout the day, trace the Manhattan Project’s legacy from abandoned river towns and wartime worlds of work and housing to the everyday spaces of life and community that took shape during World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. (A late-start, half-day option is provided for those who wish for a lighter schedule of events; be reminded, however, that this option does not include the Hanford site).
Saturday, May 30, is filled with paper and poster sessions and the evening banquet, which includes the awards ceremony and the annual business meeting.
Please use the Orange Links in the navigation bar above to find schedules, travel information, and registration. You may also navigate using these links:
Full and Early Registration will open on February 25, 2026 and will close on April 15, 2026.
À la carte and late registration will be from April 15, 2026 through April 24, 2026.
If you have questions about the conference, please contact Julia Griffith, VAF Program Associate, at conference@vafweb.org.