Dynamic Earth

Testing for Change

Project goals:

To empower community partners in their experience and knowledge of climate justice
To centre community voice in research and consultation on the redevelopment of Dynamic Earth’s exhibition and programming
To facilitate community partners in creating their own climate justice-linked projects
To connect climate researchers and underrepresented audiences

Through the lens of community empowerment, Dynamic Earth is using this opportunity to take on a transformative programme of research with underrepresented groups, focused on their core offering as a centre.

A group of people stands at Dynamic Earth — Participants viewing an area to be redesigned at Dynamic Earth

They have kick-started their partnership working with seven different organisations, including the mental health support charity SEASONS, LGBT Health and Wellbeing, a local primary school, a charity supporting young people of colour, and others. They aim to generate a step-change in how typically unheard voices and plural perspectives are represented within their permanent exhibition and programming.

Activities so far have seen one group choosing to work on a project to create climate change superheroes that they’ll design, animate and code into a planetarium show focusing on the climate emergency. Other sessions have incorporated songwriters, storytellers, and activists.

“Dynamic Earth is thrilled to receive this funding which allows us to do game-changing work, challenging our status quo and looking to the future as we launch our new ten-year strategy. We have only just begun planning with our community partners for this project, and already we’re having in-depth discussions about climate justice, colonialism and genuine diverse representation within our science centre. This is such an exciting opportunity to commit time to centring the voices of our community partners and designing the next year of our activity around them.”

Fran Hutchinson, senior community engagement officer, Dynamic Earth

Additional to this, academic partners from Edinburgh and Abeerdeen universities have been brought on-board to deliver sessions with audiences exploring the climate emergency and climate justice.

Work with an evaluation agency to evolve the organisation’s mindset and their approach to community engagement is also taking place. 

Two young people sit and make a hand heart with their two hands — Participants viewing an area to be redesigned at Dynamic Earth

This project follows the team’s success as one of seven Bold Futures grant recipients between 2022 and 2023. Funded as part of the Wellcome Trust’s Inspiring Science initiative, the Dynamic Earth team embedded community voice and co-decision-making into every step of the planning and design of a new dedicated community space within their centre.

“To know that the Mindsets + Missions programme is supporting museums and science centres across the UK to examine their EDI policies and practices, embed them into every aspect of their organisations and make meaningful change is incredibly powerful. We will make the most of this opportunity and commit to a legacy from this programme of genuine co-creation and representation to make our attraction and our work more accessible to more people.”

Conor Ellis, head of learning and engagement, Dynamic Earth