Energy crisis threatens European museums, but some find sustainable solutions
Soaring energy prices across Europe, with increases up to 500% in England, are putting museums under severe financial strain after two years of pandemic losses. In Italy, the Teatro Regio di Torino faces uncertainty despite a Consip-negotiated tariff locked until February; superintendent Mathieu Jouvin warns of impacts on artist health and audience attendance. The Musei di Empoli, directed by Cristina Gelli, plan to lower thermostats and limit heating to lab hours. German museums are publicly discussing savings: Städel Museum uses geothermal energy, Museum Ludwig reduces loans and reuses installations, and Berlin landmarks like the Cathedral and Charlottenburg Palace have gone dark at night since July. Sustainable examples include Trento's MUSE (LEED Gold, renewables), Milan's Teatro alla Scala (LED chandelier retrofit), Mart di Rovereto and MMM Corones (CasaClima, first Italian museum in energy class A), and Turin's Teatro Stabile (LEDs, photovoltaics, reduced heating). The Fondazione Rovati in Milan and OGR in Turin use groundwater heat pumps; Reggia di Venaria has a cogeneration plant. The Italian Ministry of Culture allocated €100 million from the PNRR to 120 state museums, including €6 million for Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, €5 million for Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Matera, €3.5 million for Galleria Borghese, and others.
Key facts
- Energy prices have increased up to 500% in England.
- Teatro Regio di Torino had annual energy costs of €800,000-900,000 before the crisis.
- Mathieu Jouvin is superintendent of Teatro Regio di Torino.
- Cristina Gelli is director of Musei di Empoli.
- Städel Museum in Frankfurt uses geothermal energy.
- Museum Ludwig in Cologne reduces loans and recycles installations.
- Berlin's Cathedral, Marienkirche, and Charlottenburg Palace have been unlit at night since July 2022.
- MUSE in Trento received LEED Gold certification in 2013.
- Teatro alla Scala replaced all chandelier bulbs with LEDs in summer 2022.
- MMM Corones became the first Italian museum in energy class A in 2016.
- Teatro Stabile in Turin installed LEDs and photovoltaic panels, partly funded by PNRR.
- Filippo Fonsatti is director of Teatro Stabile in Turin.
- Fondazione Rovati in Milan uses groundwater heat pumps.
- OGR in Turin uses only renewable energy from groundwater.
- Reggia di Venaria has a cogeneration plant running on methane.
- Italian Ministry of Culture selected 120 state museums for €100 million PNRR fund.
- Galleria Nazionale delle Marche receives €6 million.
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Matera receives over €5 million.
- Galleria Borghese receives nearly €3.5 million.
- Parco Archeologico di Sibari receives €2.8 million.
- Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena receives €2.3 million.
- Parco Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei and Parco Archeologico di Ercolano each receive €2 million.
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze receives over €1.8 million.
- Musei di Tarquinia and Cerveteri receive €1.6 million.
- Museo Nazionale Atestino di Este receives nearly €1.5 million.
Entities
Institutions
- Teatro Regio di Torino
- Consip
- Musei di Empoli
- Galleria di Arte Moderna e della Resistenza di Empoli
- Museo della Collegiata
- MuVe
- Städel Museum
- Museum Ludwig
- Cattedrale di Berlino
- Marienkirche
- Castello di Charlottenburg
- Muse
- Teatro alla Scala
- Mart di Rovereto
- MMM Corones
- CasaClima
- Teatro Stabile di Torino
- PNRR
- Fondazione Rovati
- Ogr di Torino
- Reggia di Venaria
- Ministero della Cultura
- Galleria Nazionale delle Marche
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Matera
- Galleria Borghese
- Parco Archeologico di Sibari
- Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena
- Parco Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei
- Parco Archeologico di Ercolano
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze
- Musei di Tarquinia e Cerveteri
- Museo Nazionale Atestino di Este
- Artribune
Locations
- Europa
- Inghilterra
- Italia
- Torino
- Empoli
- Germania
- Francoforte
- Colonia
- Berlino
- Trento
- Milano
- Rovereto
- Corones
- Venaria
- Urbino
- Matera
- Roma
- Sibari
- Siena
- Campi Flegrei
- Ercolano
- Firenze
- Tarquinia
- Cerveteri
- Este