Museums Embrace Climate Role: From Hope-Driven Exhibitions to Carbon-Neutral Goals
Globally, museums are increasingly influential in discussions about climate change. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is targeting climate neutrality by 2030, planning to reduce its electricity usage by 40% and halve its gas consumption. In October 2025, the Canadian Museum of History released its inaugural environmental report, with CEO Caroline Dromaguet highlighting the role of museums as guardians of cultural heritage. Newcastle's Discovery Museum will showcase an exhibition titled Steam to Green in 2024, featuring 18 local green technology firms. The Royal Ontario Museum's Soren Brothers promotes shared ideals such as clean air. In November 2025, Montréal's Biosphère launched Emolab, which addresses climate emotions for teenagers. Both the Mark | Museum for a New Danish History and Reykjavík Art Museum are actively involving youth in climate initiatives to combat eco-anxiety and encourage collective action.
Key facts
- The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao runs on 40% of the electricity and about half the gas it used at opening, targeting climate neutrality by 2030.
- Discovery Museum's 2024 exhibition Steam to Green involved more than 18 local green technology companies and featured hands-on interactives like a wind simulator.
- A 2023 national survey found that 80% of young Canadians aged 16 to 25 believe climate change affects their mental health.
- Montréal's Biosphère opened Emolab in November 2025 as Canada's first exhibition devoted entirely to the science of climate emotions.
- The Canadian Museum of History published its first annual environmental report in October 2025, measuring building energy and staff commuting.
- The Reykjavík Art Museum brought 600 teenagers into its climate-themed exhibition Elements via a revived 1990s summer youth work scheme.
- The Royal Ontario Museum's Soren Brothers suggests museums sometimes shouldn't talk about climate change directly, focusing instead on shared values like cleaner air.
- Mark | Museum for a New Danish History's Climate Roots involved over 200 young people in workshops, creating a travelling cardboard tree for handwritten hopes.
Entities
Artists
- Jeff Koons
- Daniel Stoker
- Soren Brothers
- Caroline Dromaguet
- Anna Louise Siggaard
- Ariana Katrín Katrínardóttir
Institutions
- MuseumNext
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
- Discovery Museum
- Newcastle University
- Centre for Energy
- Royal Ontario Museum
- Biosphère
- City of Montréal
- Canadian Museum of History
- Mark | Museum for a New Danish History
- Reykjavík Art Museum
- Green Museums Summit
Locations
- Bilbao
- Spain
- Newcastle
- United Kingdom
- Toronto
- Canada
- Montréal
- Ontario
- Crawford Lake
- Ottawa River
- Reykjavík
- Iceland
- North East