diff --git a/simplemind/models.py b/simplemind/models.py
index f8ff5be..a51ad5b 100644
--- a/simplemind/models.py
+++ b/simplemind/models.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import uuid
 from datetime import datetime
+from os import PathLike
 from types import TracebackType
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Literal, Optional
 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ class Message(SMBaseModel):
     role: MESSAGE_ROLE
     text: str
     meta: Dict[str, Any] = {}
-    raw: Optional[Any] = None
+    raw: Optional[Any] = Field(default=None, exclude=True)
     llm_model: Optional[str] = None
     llm_provider: Optional[str] = None
 
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ class Conversation(SMBaseModel):
     messages: List[Message] = []
     llm_model: Optional[str] = None
     llm_provider: Optional[str] = None
-    plugins: List[BasePlugin] = []
+    plugins: List[BasePlugin] = Field(default_factory=list, exclude=True)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return f"<Conversation id={self.id!r}>"
@@ -207,3 +208,14 @@ class Conversation(SMBaseModel):
     def add_plugin(self, plugin: BasePlugin) -> None:
         """Add a plugin to the conversation."""
         self.plugins.append(plugin)
+
+    def save(self, path: PathLike | str) -> None:
+        """Save the conversation to a JSON file."""
+        with open(path, "w") as f:
+            f.write(self.model_dump_json())
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load(cls, path: PathLike | str) -> "Conversation":
+        """Load a conversation from a JSON file."""
+        with open(path, "r") as f:
+            return cls.model_validate_json(f.read())
diff --git a/tests/test_conversations.py b/tests/test_conversations.py
index 4747f65..7488cb2 100644
--- a/tests/test_conversations.py
+++ b/tests/test_conversations.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+import json
+
 import pytest
 
 import simplemind as sm
-from simplemind.providers import Amazon, Anthropic, Gemini, Groq, Ollama, OpenAI
+from simplemind.models import BasePlugin, Conversation
+from simplemind.providers import Anthropic, Gemini, Groq, Ollama, OpenAI
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -25,3 +28,74 @@ def test_generate_data(provider_cls):
 
     assert isinstance(data.text, str)
     assert len(data.text) > 0
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def sample_conversation():
+    """Create a sample conversation for testing."""
+    conv = Conversation(llm_provider="openai")
+    conv.add_message(role="user", text="Hello!")
+    conv.add_message(role="assistant", text="Hi there!")
+    conv.add_message(role="user", text="How are you?")
+    return conv
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def temp_json_file(tmp_path):
+    """Create a temporary file path for testing."""
+    return tmp_path / "conversation.json"
+
+
+def test_save_conversation(sample_conversation, temp_json_file):
+    """Test saving a conversation to a JSON file."""
+    sample_conversation.save(temp_json_file)
+
+    assert temp_json_file.exists()
+
+    with open(temp_json_file) as f:
+        saved_data = json.load(f)
+
+    assert "id" in saved_data
+    assert "messages" in saved_data
+    assert "llm_model" in saved_data
+    assert "llm_provider" in saved_data
+
+    assert len(saved_data["messages"]) == 3
+    assert saved_data["messages"][0]["text"] == "Hello!"
+    assert saved_data["messages"][1]["text"] == "Hi there!"
+    assert saved_data["messages"][2]["text"] == "How are you?"
+
+
+def test_load_conversation(sample_conversation, temp_json_file):
+    """Test loading a conversation from a JSON file."""
+    sample_conversation.save(temp_json_file)
+
+    loaded_conv = Conversation.load(temp_json_file)
+
+    assert loaded_conv.id == sample_conversation.id
+    assert loaded_conv.llm_model == sample_conversation.llm_model
+    assert loaded_conv.llm_provider == sample_conversation.llm_provider
+    assert len(loaded_conv.messages) == len(sample_conversation.messages)
+
+    for original_msg, loaded_msg in zip(
+        sample_conversation.messages, loaded_conv.messages
+    ):
+        assert loaded_msg.role == original_msg.role
+        assert loaded_msg.text == original_msg.text
+        assert loaded_msg.meta == original_msg.meta
+
+
+def test_save_load_with_plugins(sample_conversation, temp_json_file):
+    """Test that plugins are properly excluded from serialization."""
+
+    # Create a dummy plugin
+    class DummyPlugin(BasePlugin):
+        def initialize_hook(self, conversation):
+            pass
+
+    sample_conversation.add_plugin(DummyPlugin())
+
+    sample_conversation.save(temp_json_file)
+    loaded_conv = Conversation.load(temp_json_file)
+
+    assert len(loaded_conv.plugins) == 0