1. Sustainability, museums and
loans
Maurice Davies
Museums Association UK
www.museumsassociation.org/sustainability

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

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

4. Social
Economic
Environmental
Triple-bottom line

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

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

7. Economic - 1
Diversify income:
• Public / government
• Generated / trading
• Fundraising / donations

8. Economic - 2
another way
Bigger buildings
bigger collections
bigger audiences
bigger budgets
OR…
Spend less money!
Prosperity without growth

9. Prosperity without growth
Stop expanding!
Quality and deeper relationships
more important than quantity
Don’t do too much!
Don’t work too hard!

10. 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

11. 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

12. Collections and sustainability
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

13. 32
A new range?
30 16-28˚C
28 30-70%rH
Change <10% in 24 hours
26
Sensible Loan Conditions?
24 18-25˚C
Internal Air
Temperature 22 40-65%rH
(˚C) Change <10% in 24 hours (1)
20 Also generally recognised as human comfort zone
18 International Museum Standard
16 21˚C+/-1˚C
50%RH +/-5%
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Relative Humidity (rH%)
Extracted from 027094 Whitworth Art Gallery
MEP Concept Design Report Revision 00
Buro Happold 29/04/2010 NJF

14. Environmental Sustainability
and Loans
Loans are Good!
What is more sustainable?
Virtual / online or
Temporary exhibitions?

15. V&A Energy use

16. Sustainability and Loans
Loans are good!
Lending more sustainably would mean:
• Less energy and natural resources
• Less money
• More benefit for society

17. Social 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

19. Sustainability and Loans
To be more economically sustainable:
It’s simple
Lend things for less money!

20. Registrars and Sustainability
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?

21. www.museumsassociation.org/sustainability