Stewards of our Future: Museums’ Environmental Practice Today

Museums are stewards of our future. Custodians of our heritage, they help us to understand our past, interpret our present and, crucially, to envisage the ambition of humanity’s next steps. They help create and weave together the narrative threads of our culture through history, science, industrialisation, and the arts, helping us find our place in the world in relation to others and the environment.

In the context of a changing climate and rapid environmental degradation, what is the duty of care of museums as custodians, and what is their role in protecting the natural heritage and nurturing sustainable futures? What does it really mean to hold history in trust for society? How can we expand our notion of cultural stewardship in a way that places the natural environment at the heart of our values? How can we convey these fundamental principles to inspire and enable the much-needed shifts in values required in our society?

As a result of the pioneering work of those museums already recognising environmental stewardship at the core of their mission, we know that taking action on environmental sustainability can lead to improvements in staff wellbeing; the development of richer and more meaningful relationships with audiences and new partners; a more holistic approach to building, collections and exhibitions management; and overall healthier and more inspirational organisations shaped around environmental and social values.

This one-day event will explore the opportunities and challenges of climate change action for museums, including collections management, building and site management, exhibitions, and learning and outreach.

The day will offer a combination of inspiring panels featuring leading practitioners, in-depth case studies, and working groups tailored to the needs of organisations of various sizes and resources.

It will build on the Museums Framework due to be published by Julie’s Bicycle and Arts Council England later this year, which identifies key indicators of an environmentally sustainable museum and will aim to help museums identify their own current level of practice and inform their thinking and action going forward.