ABSTRACT
This case study shows Leeds Museums and Galleries to be a pioneer in thinking holistically about what a sustainable museum organisation can look like, with policy and practice being implemented for over a decade. The chapter shows how the approach has evolved from having an initial focus on sustainable temporary exhibition-making, with an emphasis on reusing materials, reducing waste and lowering carbon emissions. This approach widened out to include enhancing biodiversity and promoting sustainable travel, and then to apply the same principles to permanent gallery exhibitions, resulting in the Life on Earth gallery of 2022, which included a best-practice carbon impact assessment of the project. In parallel, the museum service has embarked on a long-term strategy of decarbonising its buildings and protecting against river flooding. Finally, the chapter describes how the city of Leeds has become more joined up in its approach to tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis, and how the museum service has participated in museum sector national initiatives.
