Green Museum

The Austrian Open-Air Museum obtained Green Museum certification in 2025! It thus follows in the footsteps of the Kunsthaus Graz and the Volkskundemuseum am Paulustor, which are also part of the Universalmuseum Joanneum. The Universalmuseum Joanneum is looking to the future: with its 19 museums, the entire Joanneum is part of the Museums For Future network, a global movement of museums, cultural institutions and their employees who support the demands of Fridays For Future. In this way, it fulfils its responsibility as an institution of science, education and discourse and is committed to a sustainable society. This includes supporting climate strikes and communicating the consequences of the climate crisis for nature and humankind.

The Austrian Ecolabel is a seal of quality for ecological business practices awarded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology. It recognises museums and exhibition venues for their environmentally friendly management and social responsibility, thus standing for ‘museums with environmental plus’. The requirements for obtaining the label are set out in a catalogue of guidelines, the fulfilment and compliance of which are assessed by an independent testing body. The Austrian Ecolabel is awarded for a period of four years, after which a new overall assessment is required.

An important milestone on this journey is the installation of our solar panels on the inventory warehouse and on the entrance and office building. With these panels, we generate part of our electricity needs ourselves – sustainably and in an environmentally friendly way. This not only reduces our CO₂ emissions, but also makes us less dependent on external energy sources and rising electricity prices. However, photovoltaics is only one part of our commitment. As a Green Museum, we take a holistic view of sustainability: from energy-efficient building management and resource-conserving working practices to raising awareness among our visitors. We want not only to preserve history, but also to take responsibility for the future.

As part of our initiatives as a certified ‘Green Museum’, new saplings have been planted across the museum grounds. This is because some of the existing trees had to be removed in recent years. The young trees make an important contribution to the ecological balance within the museum: they promote biodiversity, create new habitats and help improve the microclimate. At the same time, they will continue to shape the distinctive appearance of our museum, which is situated in the heart of a nature reserve.

A significant step in this process is the move towards organic certification for our gardens (and fields) on the museum grounds. This means that our green spaces are managed in accordance with organic guidelines: without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers, but using natural methods that protect the soil and promote biodiversity. In this way, our gardens provide valuable habitats for insects, birds and many other animal species – an important contribution to the preservation of biodiversity. The forthcoming organic certification is another milestone on our journey as a Green Museum. It demonstrates that ecological responsibility is practised not only inside our buildings, but also in the outdoor spaces – consistently, with a focus on the future and with future generations in mind.

A Green Museum takes a holistic approach to sustainability – including in its day-to-day digital work. This involves managing data responsibly: creating clear folder structures, regularly checking files, removing unnecessary copies and disposing of documents that are no longer needed in the bin. This makes digital work processes more efficient, conserves storage resources and makes information easier to find in the long term. After all, sustainability means not only acting in a resource-efficient manner on site, but also managing our digital infrastructure in a responsible and forward-looking way. We are currently working on this.