Throughout Europe, cultural institutions and their partners are investing more and more energy and time on the most important debate of our time: how can we contribute to combating climate change, to preserving ecosystems and species, and to promoting life on the planet. Monuments and museums are attempting to spur knowledge production and dissemination, encourage discussion and the exchange of ideas, as well as drive experimentation and innovation towards a more sustainable society.

Reflecting upon the impact of climate change and energy use on museums and cultural heritage is a complex and urgent challenge, which brings together discordant threads and tensions. Buildings, on the one hand, must be prepared to ensure the long-term preservation of their history and their collections, while, on the other hand, they must be ready to open their doors to thousands and even millions of enthusiastic visitors. Trying to minimize risks to collections and buildings and mitigate the negative impact of energy use on the natural habitat surrounding these institutions, while also ensuring a productive economic cycle, is a very demanding objective; one which requires advancing new practices and technologies, as well as promoting new thinking. How can resource management be aligned with conservation needs? And how can artistic production and cultural programming meet the greatest challenge of our times?

This meeting will focus on different aspects of this endeavor, on recent efforts to answer these questions, mainly through case studies and testimonies of best practices being implemented in leading institutions throughout Europe and in Portugal.

Organization: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and DGPC – Directorate General for Cultural Heritage.

The Gulbenkian Museum Academy promotes professional discussions and learning around key themes that face world museums today; this event inaugurates the Academy’s programme for 2023.