Ecolabel in action: Museums and their educational mission for sustainable development
The guideline for tourism and leisure enterprises contains specific requirements for museums. The first mandatory criterion is: "Integration of education for sustainable development into the educational work". What`s about?
"Integrating education for sustainable development into outreach work"
That sounds very clumsy - what exactly is meant by that?
Museums that have been awarded with the Austrian Ecolabel must also offer content in their exhibitions or accompanying programs that not only address topics of sustainable development, but also prepare this in a sustainable way:
On the one hand, social topics and problems should be addressed - for example, climate change, or social inequality; on the other hand, the communication of these topics must be implemented in a participatory manner using a variety of methods and take into account different perspectives as well as social and cultural differences.
How does this look in practice?
The Museum Niederösterreich prepares its topics very broadly: In addition to the classic exhibitions and guided tours as well as discussion series, there are virtual offerings that also appeal to people who cannot visit the museum. Special programs for families and workshops adapted to school classes and vacation programs also attract children and young adults to the museum.
At the Museum für Angewandte Kunst, new types of cooperation formats are being tried out that connect artists with science and business and convey them in an innovative way in the MAK DESIGN LAB and with the MAK LAB APP.
Here are a few good examples in detail, but it is even better to be inspired by a museum visit on site.