Maurice Davies - Sustainability, museums and loans

Sustainability, museums and loans

Maurice Davies

Museums Association UK

www.museumsassociation.org/sustainability

Meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Museums enhance the quality of life of everyone, both today and in the future Museums are in the sustainability business

Social

Economic

Environmental

Triple-bottom line

Lighting Travel and Transport Staff behaviour (“switch it off”) Reuse and recycle (don’t waste display materials) Collections-care requirements (air conditioning?)

Environmental

Buy local, green and fair trade Work with other organisations Involve community Share skills

Social

Economic - 1

Diversify income:

•  Public / government

•  Generated / trading

•  Fundraising / donations

Bigger buildings

bigger collections

bigger audiences

bigger budgets

OR…

Spend less money!

Prosperity without growth

Economic - 2 another way

Stop expanding!

Quality and deeper relationships more important than quantity

Don’t do too much!

Don’t work too hard!

Prosperity without growth

A sustainable museum…

  is not obsessed with growth   focuses on quality of experience   has strong relationships with its users   has partnerships with other organisations   shares collections   perhaps works outside its buildings

Common principles

• Protect environment • Deepen relationships • Improve what we pass on to the future • Contribute to social progress • Look after staff • Plan long-term • Work together

Collections need to be used enough now Actively researched, displayed, shared An asset to the future, not a burden … smaller? Preserving collection can damage the planet! Resources (energy and money) needed by collection must reflect its public benefits

Collections and sustainability

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

32

30

28

26

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22

20

18

16

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12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Sensible Loan Conditions? 18-25˚C 40-65%rH Change <10% in 24 hours (1) Also generally recognised as human comfort zone

International Museum Standard 21˚C+/-1˚C 50%RH +/-5%

A new range? 16-28˚C 30-70%rH Change <10% in 24 hours

Relative Humidity (rH%)

Internal Air Temperature

(˚C)

Extracted from 027094 Whitworth Art Gallery MEP Concept Design Report Revision 00

Buro Happold 29/04/2010 NJF

Loans are Good!

What is more sustainable? Virtual / online or Temporary exhibitions?

Environmental Sustainability and Loans

V&A Energy use

Loans are good!

Lending more sustainably would mean:

•  Less energy and natural resources

•  Less money

•  More benefit for society

Sustainability and Loans

To be more socially sustainable:

It’s simple

Get things displayed, researched, shared

Use collections to make people’s lives better – learning, enjoying, communicating

Social Sustainability and Loans

To be more economically sustainable:

It’s simple

Lend things for less money!

Sustainability and Loans

Registrars are people who: Get collections used Promote sharing collections Make loans more sustainable Build partnerships between museums Manage risk What will you do at your museum to contribute to economic, environmental and social sustainability?

Registrars and Sustainability

www.museumsassociation.org/sustainability