Culture for the climate. The new role of museums in the time of the climate crisis Cover Image

Kultura dla klimatu. Nowa rola instytucji muzealnych w dobie kryzysu klimatycznego
Culture for the climate. The new role of museums in the time of the climate crisis

Author(s): Aleksandra Janus
Subject(s): Anthropology, Museology & Heritage Studies, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology
Published by: Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze
Keywords: climate crisis; museum definition; activist group Culture for Climate; responsibility of museums

Summary/Abstract: In recent years, we have observed a gradual change in the way of defining the social role and responsibility of museums (and more broadly — cultural institutions). The signals of this change are, for example, discussions on the new ICOM museum definition, or publications proclaiming a shift towards the model of institutional activism. Although we are used to perceiving museums as specializing in issues of long duration and not in activist involve-ment in contemporary challenges and problems, the climate crisis appears to challenge that way of perceiving institutional responsibilities. The informal activist group Culture for Climate made an attempt to turn these postulates into institutional practice. The article analyzes the practical consequences of such a paradigm shift for museums and attempts to capture the significance of this change for the museum sector, and more broadly — for the entire heritage sector.

  • Issue Year: 8/2021
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 249 - 258
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Polish