Governance is the invisible architecture of any institution — the structure that shapes purpose, accountability, and growth. Today, as museums face the intertwined crises of climate change and social inequality, governance itself is being redefined. By creating dedicated sustainability councils and interdepartmental groups, museums are embedding environmental thinking into their core decision-making, ensuring that ecological stewardship, community care, and cultural innovation advance together.
From Los Angeles to Madrid, this transformation signals a shift from mission statements to measurable action — turning governance into a living expression of institutional ethics.
In 2020, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles became the first major U.S. museum to establish an Environmental Council, a pioneering move designed to harness art’s transformative power to protect both the planet and the museum’s legacy.
The Council’s work extends beyond policy into creative practice: it funds green initiatives, sets emission-reduction goals, and supports renewable energy transitions alongside eco-centered exhibitions and programs. MOCA also shares its progress publicly, turning transparency into a form of engagement.
In 2021, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto appointed Dr. Soren Brothers as its first Curator of Climate Change, a new role that merged research, exhibition curation, and public education to advance environmental literacy. “We are in urgent need of a course correction on climate change,” said Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “As one of the few museums in the world with a mandate cutting across art, culture, and nature, we have the capacity to take a holistic approach to communicating the effects of climate change through a transdisciplinary lens. With the appointment of Dr. Brothers, an accomplished scientific researcher and public communicator, the Museum is making a major commitment to broadly share knowledge and insights on climate change and help point the way to a sustainable future.”
This position bridges science and culture — developing partnerships across academia, government, and Indigenous communities to address the ecological crisis through storytelling and exhibition design. Most recently, Dr. Brothers served as a lead in an exhibit featuring research from a Canadian lake and how it reveals impact on the environment.
In Spain, the Museo Lázaro Galdiano created an internal sustainability working group to foster responsible consumption among employees and visitors alike. The team promotes low-impact practices and publishes a sustainability newsletter that documents the museum’s ongoing initiatives — from waste reduction to energy efficiency.
This model reflects a bottom-up approach: sustainability as daily culture, not just policy.
The High Museum of Art established its Green Team, an internal committee dedicated to advancing environmental performance across operations, exhibitions, and visitor experience.
The group’s initiatives — from recycling programs to energy audits — have become a blueprint for how regional institutions can mobilize staff-driven sustainability.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao’s Gu-Zero initiative brings together staff from every department to identify sustainability opportunities, engage suppliers, and involve local organizations in climate action.
The group organizes awareness campaigns, training sessions, and partnerships that extend beyond the museum walls, positioning Guggenheim Bilbao as a regional leader in sustainable governance.
Across continents, museums are transforming governance from a structural necessity into a dynamic ecosystem of accountability and imagination. By aligning curators, directors, and communities toward a common purpose, these institutions demonstrate that true sustainability begins not with technology or materials, but with how we organize, decide, and lead.
NEXT IN Summit is the event promoted by ACCIONA Cultura that brings together international leaders in the cultural field to share experiences, discuss ideas and analyze the challenges that will shape the future of the cultural industry.