International Museum Day 2023: Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing

Global Health and Wellbeing

Museum and cultural visits can improve mental health and reduce social isolation. By offering engaging and educational experiences, we strongly believe this helps provide a sense of community, belonging and connections between visitors.

We’re creating inclusive spaces where visitors can learn about diverse cultures and perspectives, challenging stereotypes and prejudices.

• Our ‘Always Welcome’ wellbeing sessions are really popular and you can book in for our upcoming sessions now.
• We have a Culture Club up and running for people with lived experiences of racism to explore our collections.
• Through the BAS9 engagement programme last year, we worked with different groups including OUTYouth and families from local Devon and Cornwall Refugees Support (DCRS).

Climate Action

By adopting a low-carbon policy and investing in renewable energy, we aim to set an example for sustainable practices and encourage visitors to make positive changes in their own lives. From sourcing local and ethical products in our shop, to using more sustainable materials in our displays we aim to provide a space for discussion around conservation efforts.

• We’ve been awarded Green Tourism Gold in which we scored highly for sustainability.
• We work with partners who are passionate about low-carbon efforts. The climate change episode of ‘The Box on Screen’ series was Soundview Media’s first certified carbon neutral production film.
• Find out more about our Environmental Responsibility Policy and see our 2022 environmental impacts.
• Read about our work with local suppliers to reduce our waste from exhibitions displays.

Life on Land

The Box is perfectly positioned to help raise awareness about the urgent need to protect our planet's biodiversity. With our large natural history collections, we’ve been educating visitors on the impact of human activity on wildlife habitats and species loss. We’ve found by collaborating with local environmental groups, it helps to amplify their voices and share their wisdom with a wider audience.

• Through the Wild Escape programme, we focused this year’s Easter holiday workshops on the rare six-banded nomad bee. Our Natural History curator also gave talks to inspire positive action in visitors to help our local wildlife and we worked with Stuart Road Primary Academy learning about habitats.
• We're encouraging visitors to think about the climate emergency by highlighting natural history collections that are not often on display. Take a look at our climate cases on display now in our Active Archives gallery.
• Read our blog post by Natural History curator Sarah Marden about what our collections tell us about climate change and looking for signs of hope.

We recognise that this work is and always should be ongoing, so look out on our online platforms to see what else we’re developing.