ESHE 2026 Meeting
Burgos, Spain | September 17–19, 2026
The 16th annual ESHE meeting will be held in person in Burgos, Spain, in collaboration with CENIEH. The meeting is supported by the City Council of Burgos in collaboration with the Museum of Human Evolution.
Meeting Overview
Podium, Pecha Kucha, and poster sessions are scheduled from September 17–19, 2026. ESHE 2026 will offer a combination of physical and virtual participation. Members will have the opportunity to follow presentations online, attend in person, and view presentations streamed live.
Registration Information
Members do not need to register for the meeting to receive access to the video stream, but you must have paid your membership dues for this year. For more details on our membership structure, please visit our membership page or contact us if unsure.
Registration Fees (until July 1st)
- Professional members: €200
- Student members: €70
- Professional non-members: €350
- Student non-members: €140
After July 1st, only non-member prices apply.
Abstract Submission – Deadline: Friday, May 8th, 2026
Abstract submission will open in April and will close at 11:59 PM (PST), Friday, May 8th. Please make sure to register first and follow the guidelines on the Abstracts page. We strongly recommend registering and paying conference fees at least one week before abstract submission.
Accepted presenters will be notified after June. The conference will feature Podium, Pecha Kucha, and Poster presentations.
Information for Presenters
Podium Presentations
Podium presentations aim to communicate results while putting them into a broader perspective. The significance of the research for human evolution, as well as the limitations and future perspectives, should be discussed. Each presenter has 15 minutes to present and a strict 5-minute time limit for questions. All Podium presentations will be given in person.
Pecha Kucha Presentations
Pecha Kucha is a visual style of presentation aiming to communicate results concisely. Presentations will be held either online or in person. Each presentation must contain 20 slides at 20 seconds each. View examples from the 2020 Annual Meeting.
Poster Presentations
All posters must be in A0 Portrait format. Landscape format cannot be accepted due to space constraints. Presenters are expected to print and bring their posters and display them before the first poster session. All poster sessions will be held in person.
Students participating in the Poster student award competition should send files (PDF or image) to contact@eshe-conference.eu in early September.
Student Prizes for Best Pecha Kucha and Poster Presentations
ESHE will offer prizes to the best student Pecha Kucha and Poster presentations of the 2026 meeting.
Student Travel Grants – Deadline: June 4th
ESHE will offer a limited number of travel grants to students attending the 2026 meeting. Note that grants are meant to support, not fully sponsor travel.
Criteria
- Applicants must be members of ESHE
- Applicants must be presenting a Podium, Pecha Kucha, or Poster presentation
How to Apply
- Register for the 2026 meeting and submit an abstract
- Send a letter of financial justification to contact@eshe-conference.eu by June 4th including:
- Information on where you will be traveling from
- A list of your anticipated expenses
- Information on any other funds at your disposal (grants, scholarships, stipends)
- A short CV (maximum 1 page)
Childcare Support
We are pleased to announce that we will be supporting parents attending our event by offering vouchers towards childcare-related expenses. We understand the difficulties parents face and are committed to making our event as accessible and inclusive as possible.
Baby-wearing is permitted at the conference, and we are currently looking into securing designated breastfeeding spaces. Interested parents can apply for the childcare voucher by emailing contact@eshe-conference.eu before July 1st.
Please include:
- A brief summary of how funds will be used
- Anticipated childcare costs
Requests will be issued on a first-come, first-serve basis.
ESHE Events and Locations
Venue
The Fórum Evolución is an outstanding venue for a meeting of this kind: a modern, fully equipped facility designed to host large scientific and cultural events, with state-of-the-art technical infrastructure and flexible spaces adapted to plenary sessions, posters, and public lectures. The use of the facilities is generously provided by the City Council. The location of the Fórum Evolución within the Complex of Human Evolution, alongside the Museum of Human Evolution and the CENIEH, makes it an especially distinctive and inspiring setting. Click to open in Google Maps.
September 16th
The 16th ESHE annual conference will start Wednesday, September 16th at the Fórum Evolución. The day will include pre registration, Museum visit and the public Keynote Lecture.
Starting at 3:30 pm participants will be able to collect their conference material.
CENIEH visit
For those arriving that day on Wednesday 16th, guided tours of the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) are organized. Due to limited capacity, advance booking will be required. A link will be available soon on this section, redirecting participants to the Eventbrite ticketing platform.
The guided tours are scheduled from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
Public Keynote Lecture
The lecture will take place on Wednesday, September 16th at 6:30 pm at the Fórum Evolución followed by a reception at Sala Arlanzón (Fórum Evolución). The Lecture will be delivered by Prof. José María Bermúdez de Castro, Honorary Researcher at Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Vicepresident of Fundación Atapuerca and Member of the Royal Academy of Language of Spain (RAE).
September 16th - 20th
The Podium, Pecha Kucha and Poster presentation will take place between the 16th to 19th in the Fórum Evolución.
September 19th
Closing gala event (optional)
The Gala Dinner will take place on Saturday, September 19th at 09:00 pm on the second floor of the Museum of Human Evolution (MEH), offering a truly distinctive setting. This remarkable space recreates the three key ecosystems that shaped human evolution—the lush rainforest, the open savanna, and the tundra-steppe of the last Ice Age. Surrounded by the characteristic vegetation of each environment, guests will dine immersed in the landscapes once inhabited by species such as Homo antecessor and Homo sapiens, creating an unforgettable experience at the intersection of science, nature, and design. Click to open in Google Maps.
Fee: 50 euros
Museum of Human Evolution (MEH)
As a special courtesy, the Museum of Human Evolution (MEH) is pleased to offer congress attendees complimentary admission during its opening hours, inviting you to explore its collections at your leisure throughout the event. During the congress (Wednesday to Sunday), the museum will be open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 to 14:30 and 16:30 to 20:00, Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00.
September 20th
Excursion – Atapuerca sites
The excursion to the Atapuerca archaeological sites is scheduled to take place on Sunday 20th, with departures in four groups from the Parking of Santa Teresa at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, and 12:30 pm. The visit will include a guided tour of the main excavation sites, offering insight into one of the most important paleoanthropological locations in the world. Advanced registration for the excursion must be completed via the ESHE website. This activity counts with the support of the Museum of Human Evolution.
Fee: 10 euros
Local and Travel Information
Travel to Burgos
By Train: Burgos is well connected by high-speed and regional trains to major Spanish cities such as Madrid, Valladolid, and Bilbao. Please check national rail services (Renfe) for connections to Burgos Rosa Manzano Train Station.
By Air: The nearest major international airports are Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport and Bilbao Airport.
From Madrid, Burgos can be reached by train, bus, or car in approximately 2–2.5 hours. There is a bus service directly from the airport to Burgos, please go to the ALSA website.
From Bilbao, the journey takes around 1.5–2 hours by bus or car.
By Bus: Burgos is also well connected by long-distance bus services to major Spanish cities, including Madrid and Bilbao. Regular services operate daily, offering a convenient and affordable alternative for travel. For schedules and tickets, please go to the ALSA website.
Accommodation
Special accommodation deals for those attending ESHE 2026 are available at Abba Burgos Hotel, Almirante Bonifaz, Hotel Rice and Hotel Silken. Please, regardless of the hotel listed below, make sure to indicate that you are participating in the ESHE 2026 conference.
ABBA BURGOS HOTEL
Code: ABESHE2026
Discount: 10% discount on the price
This code is valid exclusively for bookings made through the hotel’s website. www.abbaburgoshotel.com
HOTEL ALMIRANTE BONIFAZ
Discount: 15% discount on the price
Code: CENIEH
The code can be used for stays between 16/09 – 20/09.
It will be available for use from today until 16/08/2026.
Hotel website
HOTEL RICE
Code: CENIEH26
Through the official website (Rice Palacio de los Blasones), you can apply this code and enjoy a discount on the best available rate.
Hotel website
HOTEL SILKEN
Discount: 10% discount on the price
This code is valid exclusively for bookings made directly with the hotel.
Please indicate that you are attending the congress when making the reservation.
Hotel website