The Green Museum: A Primer on Environmental Practice

Sarah S. Brophy · Elizabeth Wylie

Aug 2008 · Rowman Altamira

About this ebook

Global climate conditions demand a response by institutions that are here for the long haul—as museums are—to collect, preserve, and interpret in perpetuity. Environmentally friendly practices are crucial to the mission of our museums, which, as houses of preservation, are uniquely suited to modeling green behavior and sustainability. In The Green Museum, authors Sarah Brophy and Elizabeth Wylie offer a complete handbook to guide museum staff in incorporating green design into new construction and day-to-day operations. Sustainable practices can save on operating costs and even make museums attractive to new fundraising sources, as Brophy and Wylie show in case studies of museums that have already taken steps to become green. In this easy-to-read book, the authors demystify the process of going green, including detailed explanations of the basics of recycling, options for environmentally friendly exhibit design, and how to conduct energy audits. The Green Museum is full of practical information for museums of any size and a vital resource for every museum that wants to remain relevant in an increasingly green world. The Green Museum is printed with soy-based ink on recycled stock.

About the author

Sarah S. Brophy is an independent consultant, helping museums and other cultural institutions become environmentally and financially sustainable. Elizabeth Wylie has spent twenty years in the museum field as a curator and director and now directs business development activities for Finegold Alexander + Associates, a planning and architecture firm specializing in sustainable design.