Introduction

Museums are custodians of cultural heritage and play a critical role in shaping societal values. In the face of the climate crisis, they have a dual responsibility: to minimize their environmental impact and to educate their publics about sustainability. Recent advancements in digital tools have enabled museums to measure their carbon footprints with precision, while digital communication platforms offer unprecedented opportunities to share these efforts with a global audience. This paper examines the intersection of digital transformation, sustainability measurement, and science communication in museums.

Carbon Calculators: Tools for Measuring Emissions

Accurate measurement is the foundation of any sustainability strategy, therefore carbon calculation tools are crucial for museums to identify and quantify their emissions across various operational aspects. These tools provide a systematic and standardized approach to measure carbon footprints (i.e. the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, emitted directly and indirectly), allowing institutions to pinpoint specific sources of emissions, such as energy consumption, transportation, or material use, to mention a few. By establishing this detailed baseline, museums can prioritize areas for improvement, set targeted reduction goals, and track progress over time. Moreover, the data generated by these software solutions enables museums to make informed decisions about sustainability initiatives, allocate resources effectively, and demonstrate tangible results to stakeholders, ultimately laying the foundation for meaningful action in reducing their environmental impact. A diverse array of carbon calculation software tools is readily available online, offering museums a range of options to measure and analyze their greenhouse gas emissions across various operational domains. The Carbon Calculator, specifically designed for art institutions by the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), a non-profit organization whose aim is to create an environmentally responsible art world, allows its users to calculate emissions from travel, shipping, energy use, and materials. It features annual and project-specific reporting modes that enable detailed analysis of an institution’s environmental impact. Other noteworthy tools are Julie’s Bicycle Creative Climate Tools and Beyond Carbon Impact Tracker, used by over 2000 organization across more than 20 countries, which provides a comprehensive platform for arts organizations to measure emissions from various activities such as energy use, waste management, water consumption, travel, and freight. These tools include benchmarking features that allow museums to compare their performance against industry standards, record progress and make strategic changes. Another remarkable software, The Impact Model Carbon Calculator, was developed by the Design Museum London for the exhibition “Waste Age: What Can Design Do?”. It measures emissions across multiple categories including object transport, building materials, and museum operations. In 2023, The Impact Model Carbon Calculator was made available online by the museum to support other institutions in the process of tracking and calculating their carbon emissions. Lastly, the STiCH Carbon Calculator is tailored for cultural heritage institutions and assesses material choices alongside their carbon emissions. As stated on the project’s website, the easy comparison of the carbon footprint between products allows users to lower the environmental impact of their action by making educated choices. The above-mentioned tools empower museums to systematically quantify their environmental impact and provide data-driven insights for decision-making. While carbon calculators serve as invaluable implements for museums of all sizes to quantify their emissions, it is important to note that major institutions and scientific museums often collect extensive environmental data through research and other activities, and that this data can be shared with wider audiences not only through formal reports and scientific papers but also by integrating them into displays and exhibitions, thereby enhancing public engagement with environmental issues.

Digital Communication Strategies for Sustainability

Once emissions are measured and actions to reduce them are undertaken, museums can employ digital platforms to communicate their sustainability achievements and the results of their extensive research effectively. Social media campaigns serve as a powerful avenue for outreach: museums can create engaging content such as infographics and videos that highlight key metrics related to their sustainability efforts. By utilizing platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and X, they can provide real-time updates on ongoing projects and initiatives that resonate with their audiences. Several museums are already going in this direction, and, namely, the Natural History Museum in London has pledged to become the first museum globally to set a science-based carbon reduction target, sharing this commitment on its website and social media channels, the same applies to the Design Museum in London that regularly shares sustainability data and findings through its website and social media. Virtual exhibitions represent another innovative approach to communicating sustainability initiatives. Museums can design online exhibitions that focus specifically on their sustainability journey, utilizing interactive storytelling techniques that engage visitors in meaningful ways. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies can enhance these experiences by allowing users to visualize behind-the-scenes sustainable practices or explore the impact of specific initiatives in an immersive environment. An interesting example of this approach is the 2022 digital exhibition “SDGs: Innovations for Sustainable Future”, by the Czech Center in New York, that offered an innovative approach to showcasing the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals through AR. Visitors experienced a unique blend of art and technology as they explored pictograms scattered throughout the space. Using a dedicated app on tablets or mobile phones, these static images would transform into dynamic, interactive displays, bringing the SDGs to life in a visually engaging manner. The exhibition space was then transformed into a dynamic showcase of scientific progress and innovation through digital technologies. By merging scientific perspectives with creative visualization techniques, “SDGs: Innovations for Sustainable Future” offered its visitors a compelling and immersive exploration of current global challenges and potential solutions. Digital reporting is also crucial for transparency in sustainability efforts, museums can, in fact, publish annual sustainability reports that include interactive visualizations of their progress over time. This not only allows stakeholders to track improvements but also fosters accountability within the institution. QR codes placed strategically in the physical exhibition spaces can link visitors directly to detailed online reports or specific sustainability projects, bridging the gap between in-person experiences and digital information. Educational content delivered through digital channels further enhances public engagement with sustainability issues. Museums can develop webinars, podcasts or online courses that educate audiences about their sustainability practices and broader environmental concerns. Collaborative initiatives involving multiple institutions can amplify sustainability messages across broader networks, this is the case of the artwork ‘GASP’ by the artist Thijs Biersteker, realized in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The artwork visually represents air pollution by magnifying PM2.5 particles 4000 times, making the invisible visible. The installation uses real-time data from air quality sensors to create a dynamic display of oil droplets in water, illustrating the concentration of harmful particles in the air. By comparing pollution levels from different locations – the place of the exhibition, a nearby busy road and a forest – ‘GASP’ provides a tangible representation of air quality differences. This artistic approach aims to raise awareness about the severe impacts of air pollution, which contributes to millions of deaths annually. The artwork serves as a powerful tool for environmental communication, transforming abstract data into an experience that encourages viewers to consider how much the air they breathe is influenced by human activities and the urgent need for action against pollution.

Conclusions

Museums are at a pivotal moment where digital transformation intersects with environmental responsibility. By utilizing advanced carbon calculators alongside innovative communication strategies rooted in digital science communication principles, they can not only reduce their own emissions but also serve as leaders in promoting sustainable practices globally. When science communication is integrated with digital tools effectively, museums can engage audiences meaningfully while inspiring collective action against climate change.

The integration of digital tools into museum operations represents a paradigm shift in how cultural institutions address sustainability challenges. By adopting carbon calculators tailored for their unique needs, museums gain actionable insights into their environmental impact that inform strategic decision-making processes aimed at reducing emissions. However, measuring emissions is only part of the equation; effective communication is essential for inspiring public trust and action toward sustainable practices within the communities served by these institutions. Digital platforms enable museums to reach diverse audiences with tailored content that demystifies complex data while fostering a sense of shared responsibility among their publics and stakeholders. Challenges remain regarding equitable access to these technologies across institutions of varying sizes and resources; smaller organizations may struggle with funding or expertise necessary for implementing advanced carbon measurement systems or engaging audiences digitally at scale. Collaborative initiatives such as shared platforms or open-access tools could help bridge this gap by providing resources that support all types of cultural institutions in their journey toward sustainability.

Further research should explore long-term impacts of these strategies on public behavior regarding environmental issues while investigating how smaller institutions can adopt similar practices affordably without compromising quality or effectiveness in outreach efforts aimed at fostering greater awareness around climate change challenges faced by society today.