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  • Strategy, missions and functioning of natural history museums in the face of environmental crises (doctoral research)

    Jacques Ayer, museologist in Geneva (Switzerland), ayerjacques@bluewin.ch

  • Dear colleagues,

    With more than 25 years of professional experience in the complex world of museums, including eight years as director of the Natural History Museum of Geneva, the largest in Switzerland, I have decided to complement my professional experience with a doctoral research in museology.

    In the context of environmental and societal crises, to which we can now add a health and economic crisis, the aim of this research work is to evaluate the impact of these upheavals on the positioning, functioning and management of natural history museums.

    The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain a global vision of the current and future situation and challenges of natural history museums in the world.

    To this end, I would be very grateful if you could complete the form below by 30 June 2022.

    Estimated time to complete the questionnaire: approx. 20 minutes

    I will not hesitate to contact you directly if any of your answers require further discussion.

    This survey is open to all natural history museums and related institutions, regardless of their size. It is possible that some of the questions are not applicable to your museum. In this case, please go directly to the next question.

    At the end of my research, I will be happy to provide you with the main results in some form.

    Important note: The confidentiality of your specific museum data will be guaranteed. The published results will be statistical data and global trends without specifically mentioning the institutions concerned.

    I would like to thank you sincerely for your valuable participation.

  • Information about your museum

  •  -
  • Legal status

  • Last transformation of your museum


  • Part 1: Strategy and vision

    How do you see your museum developing over the next few years ?

  • 1.1 Is your museum's strategy regularly redefined?
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  • 1.3 How have the strategy and objectives of your institution evolved over the last ten years?
  • 1.4 Have the challenges of tackling the climate and biodiversity crises changed your museum's strategy?

  • 1.5 Has the CoVID-19 Health crisis changed or will it change your museum's strategy?
  • 1.6 Have you or will you integrate the sustainable development dimension in your strategy in the last/next years ?
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  • Part 2: Museum's organization and management

  • 2.1 Have you carried out a thorough internal reorganization (new organization chart) in recent years to meet new expectations related to the environmental crises?
  • 2.2 Have you modified or are you planning to modify your staffing plan to respond to new demands related to the environmental crises (e.g. creation of new functions within your teams to complement the museum's traditional missions?
  • 2.3 Are you planning further training for your staff to meet the new expectations related to the environmental crises? Or is this already the case?

  • 2.4 Do you plan to change your financial model in the context of the economic crisis linked to the Coronavirus pandemic?

  • And if so, how in particular:

  • 2.5 In the current crisis situation, have you implemented a new financial distribution between the different areas of activity, i.e. research - collections - exhibitions and public outreach ? In other words, have you moved towards a new balance between the different missions of your museum?
  • If so, which area of activity has or will be positively impacted?
  • and negatively?
  • 2.6 Do you have or are you planning any changes to your buildings in order to optimise energy consumption?

  • Part 3: Exhibitions et public outreach

  • 3.1 Do you regularly survey your audiences to find out their expectations in the context of environmental crises?
  • If so, how often?
  • If so, what means do you use?

  • 3.2 Have you developed a new programme of specific exhibitions related to the climate and biodiversity crises?
  • 3.3 Have you changed your exhibition design practices to be more environmentally responsible (limiting waste, using recycled materials, limiting printing, energy-efficient lighting, etc.)?

  • 3.4 How do you rate the importance of environmental issues (climate and biodiversity crises) on your activities for the public?
  • 3.6 Have you set up new spaces for the public to meet expectations in relation to the climate and biodiversity crises?

  • Part 4: Collection management and research

  • 4.1 Have you reoriented your research strategy in relation to the climate and biodiversity crises?
  • 4.2 To reduce the carbon impact of your museum, have you restricted air travel for your staff and manager?
  • 4.3 Do you plan to redefine the development of your collections in the future to limit the energy impact of their physical preservation and the need for storage spaces?
  • And if so, how?

  • 4.4 Have you developed new specific communication strategies to promote the research carried out in your institution to the audience and the political authorities in relation to environmental crises?

  • Partie 5: Communication and promotion

  • 5.1 Have you reoriented your communication strategy and content in relation to the climate and biodiversity crises?
  • 5.2 Have you developed new communication tools (social networks, Internet, media, blogs, etc)?
  • 5.3 In the context of the Health crisis, have you compensated for the closure or limited access to your museum by developing new digital tools for example?

  • And if so, do you plan to maintain or develop these new tools after the pandemic?

  • Part 6: General discussion

  • 6.1 Do you think museums are going through an identity crisis?
  • 6.2 What are or will be the main challenges for natural history museums?
  • 6.4 In the near future, do you think that traditional natural history museums will gradually give way to multidisciplinary museums (e.g. science and society museum)?
  • 6.5 In your opinion, what posture should natural history museums and their teams adopt towards the audience and society in the face of environmental crises?

  • End of the questionnaire.

    Please do not forget to click on the button below to send your answers.

  • Thank you again for your valuable cooperation.

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