Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, but a decisive factor that is also finding its way into galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs) worldwide. With the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cultural institutions have an opportunity to actively contribute to solving global challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and educational equity. But how exactly can museums and libraries promote these goals?

Specific examples from practice

  • Climate protection through energy-efficient building technology
    The Weltmuseum Wien, for example, has converted its lighting to energy-efficient LED systems and is committed to sustainable building management. By reducing its energy consumption, the institution is actively contributing to SDG 13 (climate action).
  • Education for sustainable development
    The Austrian National Library offers workshops and digital collections that address topics such as climate change, resource conservation, and biodiversity. In doing so, it fulfills the goal of SDG 4 (Quality Education) by making knowledge on these key topics accessible to a broad public.
  • Sustainable exhibitions
    The Vienna Technical Museum has developed exhibitions that highlight the circular economy and environmentally friendly technologies. One of the best known is the exhibition on sustainable mobility, which shows visitors practical solutions for reducing their ecological footprint.
  • Partnerships for the SDGs
    Museums such as the House of Austrian History are increasingly working with local organizations to promote initiatives for social integration and diversity—a direct contribution to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

How GreenGLAM supports such processes

The GreenGLAM project was launched to support Austrian GLAMs in implementing the SDGs through innovative technologies. With the help of AI-supported solutions and augmented reality, museums and libraries can make their collections and exhibitions more interactive and sustainable. A central approach of GreenGLAM is the development of a web-based dashboard and an AI-supported authoring tool. These tools help cultural institutions to integrate SDG-related content into their communications in a targeted manner – whether in exhibition descriptions, social media posts, or press releases. By visually presenting SDG-relevant data, for example in the form of virtual data sculptures, GLAMs can also raise visitors' awareness of sustainability issues. GreenGLAM shows that the path to greater sustainability in the cultural sector is not only possible, but can also be inspiring. Together with museums, libraries, and archives from all over Austria, GreenGLAM will make an important contribution to achieving global sustainability goals.

Conclusion

Museums and libraries have the potential to be pioneers in the field of sustainability. They inspire not only through their content, but also through their actions. GreenGLAM provides the tools needed to strengthen this pioneering role and set new standards.