As the centennial celebration of the American Association of Museums (AAM) approaches in the next six months, it is appropriate to examine the challenges and opportunities in the century ahead. The growing deleterious effects of human impact on the earth assure that living in a sustainable fashion will be (and already is) of paramount concern. The varied definitions and applications of sustainability range from land and water use to driving patterns. For our purposes, sustainability can be defined as meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations. With a sense of relevancy to the public at the core of their work, museums are in a unique position to address and model sustainability.
While the museum profession has extensively addressed other 21 st century challenges, such as diversity and social responsibility, the notion of environmental responsibility and sustainability are still nascent. With the growing trend of sustainable design, often called “green” design, in the field of architecture and the recent explosion of new museum construction (Morris 30-35), it is not surprising that museums are exploring ustainability via building and exhibit design.
Cast by David Orr, Simon Guy, and Graham Fowler as having not only ecological, but also civic, cultural, ethical, and moral dimensions (Nature 4; 76, 84-85), sustainability has potential relevance for museums as varied as natural history, history, and art museums. However, children’s museums and nature-related museums have taken the lead in capitalizing upon this potential and therefore, comprise the large majority of recent and current sustainable design projects (see Appendix A). These include expansion and renovation projects, building construction, exhibition design, and exhibition content. Although each of these areas is rich and ripe for analysis, this paper will primarily focus on exhibition design and content.
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Why We All Should Care : Building A Case For Sustainable Design in Museums
