Activating Environmental Care and Strength at Museums and Historic Sites

Tuesday, January 28

Opening Keynote by Sarah Sutton: Museums and Historic Sites as Settings for Climate Agency and Hope
Noon – 1 p.m.

History organizations are uniquely qualified to engage the public on the importance of civic issues, and particularly climate change and environmental sustainability. Practically, historic sites, homes, and museums, as keepers of objects and knowledge about human interaction with the environment, are valuable spaces for exploring the choices and motivations we have today. In this opening talk, Sarah Sutton, an expert in how environmental and climate issues converge with museums, will discuss how history organizations can engage the public in these issues, what these institutions are doing to make their operations more sustainable, and how that process can generate climate hope for professionals and the public. Sutton is the CEO of Environment & Culture Partners, a nonprofit organization that accelerates change in the global cultural sector by designing and leading cooperative projects in climate action for global benefit.

Effectively Communicating Climate Change to the Public
1:15 – 2 p.m.

Should museums and historic sites address climate change with the public? In this session, you’ll learn about research that uncovered how supportive visitors are of climate change content, and what their attitudes and expectations are of how organizations handle climate content. You’ll also learn ways you can frame information about climate change to avoid both dead-end debates and despair and help your community move toward positive action.

Moderated by Eric Morse, Senior Manager, Marketing and Member Strategy and staff liaison to the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee, AASLH.

Panelists:

• Jessica Moyer, Senior Principal Strategist, FrameWorks Institute, Washington, District of Columbia
• Susie Wilkening, Principal, Wilkening Consulting, Seattle, Washington

Increasing Environmental Sustainability on Your Site
2:15 – 3 p.m.

Just as museums and historic sites steward collections and histories, they also steward the land, air, and water they call home. See how organizations in different environments are making their operations more sustainable in the way they manage their natural and built properties.

Moderated by Alison Bruesehoff, Executive Director, Rancho Los Cerritos, Long Beach, California.

Panelists:

• Susan Baker, Curator of Collections, The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association, Salem, Massachusetts
• Kevin Drotos, Manager of Landscapes, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Point Shores, Michigan
• Karl Koto, Director of Landscapes, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Point Shores, Michigan

History (Half) Hour with the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee
3:15 – 3:45 p.m.

Meet members of the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee and others who are attending the summit for networking, community building, and to discuss how you think you can implement what you’ve learned at your site. This is also a chance to hear from others or share the work you and your organization are doing to address climate change and sustainability.

Preparing for and Responding to an Environmental Disaster
4 – 5 p.m.

In August 2023, one of the deadliest wildfires in the United States swept through Maui, Hawaii. Changes to the climate and environment of the island contributed to the disaster, which destroyed eight museums and historic sites that are part of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. In this session, hear from representatives from the Heritage Emergency Network Task Force and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation on how your organization can prepare for and respond to an environmental disaster.

Moderated by Kathy Garrett-Cox, Curator and Director of Historical Resources and Collections, Maymont Foundation, Richmond, Virginia, and Chair of the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee.

Panelists:

• Stacy Bowe, Training Coordinator, Smithsonian Cultural Resource Initiative, Washington, District of Columbia
• Kimberly Flook, Deputy Executive Director, Lahaina Restoration Foundation, Lahaina, Hawaii
• Kara Griffin, Heritage Emergency Network Task Force Information Management Specialist, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, District of Columbia

Wednesday, January 29

Where Do I Begin? Tools for Disaster and Climate Action and Resilience Planning
Noon – 1 p.m.

Climate change is affecting all cultural organizations, and planning needs to be addressed as part of institutional disaster planning. This session will introduce attendees to a set of tools that guide cultural institutions in creating a climate resilience or action plan as well as combining resources for disaster planning.

Moderated by Kathy Garrett-Cox, Curator and Director of Historical Resources and Collections, Maymont Foundation, Richmond, Virginia, and Chair of the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee.

Panelists:

• Stephanie Capaldo, Ph.D., MBA, Professor of Sustainability and Public Humanities, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
• Jerry Foust, Ph.D., Cultural Resource Consultant, Environment & Culture Partners, Washington, District of Columbia
• Megan Dirickson, Assistant Preservation Specialist, Northeast Document Conservation Center, Andover, Massachusetts

Interpreting Climate and the Environment at History Organizations
1:15 – 2 p.m.

Freeman Tilden, the author of Interpreting Our Heritage, wrote that the ultimate goal of interpretation is preservation. Preservation is also a green action. This session will share examples of how history organizations are interpreting climate and the environment for the public at various sites throughout the country.

Moderated by Kim Robinson, Staff Curator, National Park Service, and Vice Chair of the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee.

Panelists:

• Debra Reid, Curator of Agriculture and the Environment, The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan
• Chris Hobbs, Founder, Sustainable Ideas, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Nate Toering, Director of Communications and Education, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, National Park Service, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin

Environmental and Climate Education at Museums and Historic Sites
2:15 – 3 p.m.

Historic homes and museums are using their collections and unique spaces to create exhibitions and programs that help educate visitors about the environment and climate change. Learn about some of these unique programs, as well as how your organization can partner with scientists to engage the public in environmental sustainability.

Moderated by Danielle Sakowski, Program Manager, Environment and Culture Partners.

Panelists:

• Kelsey Brow, Executive Director, King Manor Museum, New York, New York
• Julie Decker, Director and CEO, Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, Alaska
• Michelle Fitzgerald, Curator of Collections, Johns Hopkins University Museums, Baltimore, Maryland

History (Half) Hour with the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee
3:15 – 3:45 p.m.

Meet members of the AASLH Climate and Sustainability Committee and others who are attending the summit for networking, community building, and to discuss how you think you can implement what you’ve learned at your site. This is also a chance to hear from others or share the work you and your organization are doing to address climate change and sustainability.

Closing Session: Preserving History and Historic Communities and Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Louisiana
4 – 5:15 p.m.

The banks of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are home to a historic Black community, many of whom are descendants of those who were enslaved on the plantations that once lined the river. Today, this stretch of the river is known as “Cancer Alley” due to the high rates of disease linked to the petrochemical industry that has replaced the plantations. To close the summit, hear how those who call this area home are working to maintain their communities, fight for a healthier environment, and maintain a history of local and national significance.

Moderated by Mari Carpenter, John & Neville Bryan Senior Director of Museum Collections, The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Panelists:

• Joy Banner, Ph.D., Co-founder and Co-Director, The Descendants Project, Wallace, Louisiana
• The Louisiana Bucket Brigade, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Ashley Rogers, Executive Director, Whitney Plantation, Edgard, Louisiana