Sustainability links
There are plenty of websites and organisations that can help you make your museum more sustainable. Here's a selection:
AIM
The Association of Independent Museum gives grants to help museums improve their economic sustainability.
www.aim-museums.co.uk/aim-sustainability-grant-scheme.htm
Arcola
Arcola is (striving to become) the UK's first carbon-neutral theatre. Their work is inspirational.
www.arcolaenergy.com
The British Museum
The British Museum held a conference on sustainability in conservation.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find full details of the conference here:
www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/going_green.aspx
The Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust helps organisations reduce their energy consumption, including grant schemes.
www.carbontrust.co.uk
Chartered Institute of Building
The Chartered Institute of Building held a conference on the impact of sustainability and climate change on historic buildings.
www.ciob.org.uk/news/view/2091
Clore
Nick Merriman's research into sustainability and museum collections.
www.cloreleadership.org (word)
Communities.gov.uk
Many public buildings will have to display details of their energy efficiency.
www.communities.gov.uk
EGOR
The EGOR project looks at the appropriateness of current guidelines on museum and archive environmental control.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find the full website, which includes some interesting papers here:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/preservation/research/egor.htm
English Heritage
English Heritage has a variety of resources on climate change and historic buildings.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.18525
Green exhibits
Green exhibits has loads of ideas for making your museum more environmentally friendly.
www.greenexhibits.org
These guidelines on sustainable exhibit design might also be helpful.
www.lincoln.ac.uk/aad/research/publications/sustainableExhibitDesign.pdf
Green museums
For the latest news on green museums.
greenmuseums.wetpaint.com
Green Museums Initiative
The California Association of Museums sponsors the Green Museums Initiative. Their website has lots of tips and links - and invites you to sign up to its Green Museums Accord.
www.calmuseums.info/gmi/index.html
Green Tourism
The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Its members include museums.
www.green-business.co.uk
Greener Museums
Greener Museums is a UK-based site run by Rachel Madan who also advises Tate on sustainability.
greenermuseums.org/
Green Watch
Museums Journal's Green watch column gives brief details of green museum issues.
Click here to read archived Green Watch articles
DCMS
The Department for Culture Media and Sport is looking at sustainable development.
www.culture.gov.uk/working_with_us/sustainable_development/
HLF
The Heritage Lottery Fund has published guidance on planning greener heritage projects.
www.hlf.org.uk
IIC
The International Institute for Conservation held a roundtable on climate change and museum collections. www.iiconservation.org/docs/IIC_climate_change_transcript.pdf (pdf)
Mission Models Money
Mission Models Money is a project that helps cultural organisations develop financially sustainable business models.
www.missionmodelsmoney.org.uk
Museums Libraries and Archives Council
MLA has published research into museums' economic sustainability.
Click here to see the research documents
Museum Practice
Museum Practice includes regular articles on museums and sustainability.
Click here for a list of archived MP articles on museums and sustainability
National Trust
The National Trust is taking sustainability far more seriously than most museums. As a single example, it's planning to save over 2000 tonnes of carbon (and over £400,000 a year) by changing its lightbulbs.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
NMDC
The National Museum Directors Conference is promoting new standards for museum environmental control that respond to the need to use less energy.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find full details here: www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/what-we-do/contributing-sector/environmental-conditions/
Renaissance East of England
Renaissance East of England held a conference on Museums, Sustainability and Growth. A lot of the content is available online.
www.renaissance-east.org.uk
Renaissance East Midlands
Renaissance East Midlands is helping museums become more sustainable, including a step-by-step green museums guide.
www.renaissanceeastmidlands.org.uk
RSA
The Royal Society of Arts has an arts and ecology initiative.
www.rsaartsandecology.org.uk/
UCL
University College London has a centre for sustainable heritage.
www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainableheritage
AIM
The Association of Independent Museum gives grants to help museums improve their economic sustainability.
www.aim-museums.co.uk/aim-sustainability-grant-scheme.htm
Arcola
Arcola is (striving to become) the UK's first carbon-neutral theatre. Their work is inspirational.
www.arcolaenergy.com
The British Museum
The British Museum held a conference on sustainability in conservation.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find full details of the conference here:
www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/going_green.aspx
The Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust helps organisations reduce their energy consumption, including grant schemes.
www.carbontrust.co.uk
Chartered Institute of Building
The Chartered Institute of Building held a conference on the impact of sustainability and climate change on historic buildings.
www.ciob.org.uk/news/view/2091
Clore
Nick Merriman's research into sustainability and museum collections.
www.cloreleadership.org (word)
Communities.gov.uk
Many public buildings will have to display details of their energy efficiency.
www.communities.gov.uk
EGOR
The EGOR project looks at the appropriateness of current guidelines on museum and archive environmental control.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find the full website, which includes some interesting papers here:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/preservation/research/egor.htm
English Heritage
English Heritage has a variety of resources on climate change and historic buildings.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.18525
Green exhibits
Green exhibits has loads of ideas for making your museum more environmentally friendly.
www.greenexhibits.org
These guidelines on sustainable exhibit design might also be helpful.
www.lincoln.ac.uk/aad/research/publications/sustainableExhibitDesign.pdf
Green museums
For the latest news on green museums.
greenmuseums.wetpaint.com
Green Museums Initiative
The California Association of Museums sponsors the Green Museums Initiative. Their website has lots of tips and links - and invites you to sign up to its Green Museums Accord.
www.calmuseums.info/gmi/index.html
Green Tourism
The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Its members include museums.
www.green-business.co.uk
Greener Museums
Greener Museums is a UK-based site run by Rachel Madan who also advises Tate on sustainability.
greenermuseums.org/
Green Watch
Museums Journal's Green watch column gives brief details of green museum issues.
Click here to read archived Green Watch articles
DCMS
The Department for Culture Media and Sport is looking at sustainable development.
www.culture.gov.uk/working_with_us/sustainable_development/
HLF
The Heritage Lottery Fund has published guidance on planning greener heritage projects.
www.hlf.org.uk
IIC
The International Institute for Conservation held a roundtable on climate change and museum collections. www.iiconservation.org/docs/IIC_climate_change_transcript.pdf (pdf)
Mission Models Money
Mission Models Money is a project that helps cultural organisations develop financially sustainable business models.
www.missionmodelsmoney.org.uk
Museums Libraries and Archives Council
MLA has published research into museums' economic sustainability.
Click here to see the research documents
Museum Practice
Museum Practice includes regular articles on museums and sustainability.
Click here for a list of archived MP articles on museums and sustainability
National Trust
The National Trust is taking sustainability far more seriously than most museums. As a single example, it's planning to save over 2000 tonnes of carbon (and over £400,000 a year) by changing its lightbulbs.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
NMDC
The National Museum Directors Conference is promoting new standards for museum environmental control that respond to the need to use less energy.
Click here to read a short article about it
Find full details here: www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/what-we-do/contributing-sector/environmental-conditions/
Renaissance East of England
Renaissance East of England held a conference on Museums, Sustainability and Growth. A lot of the content is available online.
www.renaissance-east.org.uk
Renaissance East Midlands
Renaissance East Midlands is helping museums become more sustainable, including a step-by-step green museums guide.
www.renaissanceeastmidlands.org.uk
RSA
The Royal Society of Arts has an arts and ecology initiative.
www.rsaartsandecology.org.uk/
UCL
University College London has a centre for sustainable heritage.
www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainableheritage
