Climate and Sustainability

Flooding at Strawbery Banke Museum

Climate Crisis Puts Cultural Heritage at Risk

The climate crisis poses an urgent threat to tangible and intangible cultural heritage worldwide. We acknowledge our shared responsibility to promote sustainability and build resilience to climate-driven impacts to cultural heritage and have made it one of the core values of our organization. Learn about our resources and how you can engage with sustainability topics in cultural heritage preservation.

Screenshot of the CRR website

Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage

Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage is the first action item resulting from the work of Held in Trust. To help cultural institutions and heritage sites prepare for and mitigate climate-related environmental hazards, CRR offers free resources to build a climate resilience plan, including an interactive climate risk map, learning modules, and communities of practice.

Assess Your Risk

Screenshot of the STiCH website

Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STiCH)

Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STiCH) utilizes quantitative data and case studies to help people working in cultural heritage make educated, sustainable choices to lower the environmental impact of their work.

Evaluate Materials

Screenshot of the Held in Trust report

Held in Trust

Held in Trust was a multi-year project to evaluate the state of preservation and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the United States. The project focused on the intersection of conservation and preservation with nine critical areas of study, one of which was "Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact." Read the Held in Trust report to learn more.


Read the Report

Bizot Protocol

The Bizot Green Protocol’s call to incorporate sustainable practices into all aspects of our work has broad and powerful implications for the field of conservation. It is the responsibility of conservation professionals to both our planet and the collections we serve to actively participate in reducing our impact on nature and the environment. This includes drawing down energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Please join us in collaborating with all other stakeholders involved as we navigate through this process ethically and responsibly.

AIC Endorses Bizot Protocol

The American Institute for Conservation (AIC) recognizes that the climate crisis is an increasing threat to cultural heritage and the world. Evidence has irrefutably shown that carbon emissions play a significant role in causing the crisis. With this urgency in mind, AIC recognizes the value of The Bizot Green Protocol and supports collective adoption and implementation efforts to improve sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of cultural heritage preservation and conservation. The protocol and associated guidelines offer science-based principles, call for proactive and strategic engagement, and lay the groundwork for holistic change.

--Adopted by the AIC Board, November 19, 2024

Read more:

Read the Protocol

Sustainability Committee

Our Sustainability Committee creates and shares content that highlights sustainable approaches to the preservation of cultural heritage, including conservation, restoration, collections care, preventive care, and sustainable living. Sign up for their online community and bi-monthly email, listen to their podcast series, and access other resources.