Silent Erosion: Museums and Environmental Justice

Editorial Notes

Today’s rapid environmental changes and extreme weather events are having an overwhelming impact on society, the economy, and the environment. Now more than ever, it is crucial to consider how the power of museums and storytelling as well as making effective use of available tools and resources can raise public awareness about these environmental crises. This has become an important issue and a shared responsibility for all.

This issue of FIHRM-AP, titled The Silent Erosion: Museums and Environmental Justice, focuses on how museums and archives can raise public awareness of environmental pollution and climate change by using their educational and promotional strengths to inspire reflection, dialogue, and proactive action. Visual storytelling also plays an important role in climate change awareness, as its powerful imagery and emotional impact help draw outside attention to local climate crises.

The feature "Promotional Initiatives of the Minamata Disease Museum" highlights the educational outreach efforts of the Minamata Disease Center Soshisha in Japan. Activities including photo workshops and storytelling are helping participants learn about the history of Minamata disease. These efforts to engage with the public have encouraged people to consider the issues underlying environmental disasters and promoted understanding and reflection on environmental topics.

The second article, "The Power of Visual Storytelling in the Times of Climate Crisis," introduces "Visualising Climate Crisis," a visual storytelling mentoring program by the NOOR Foundation, headquartered in the Netherlands. 12 visual storytellers from Southeast Asia were invited to document the destruction and challenges caused by climate change in order to bring attention to the connections between environmental changes and the fate of humanity.

"A Case Study of NMNS's Special Exhibition ‘Climate Action: Our Future x Our Choice,’" a special article written by Associate Researcher Jhen-Yuan Yeh of the National Museum of Natural Science, examines from a museum’s perspective how such institutions can bring to life the abstract issue of climate change through exhibitions that merge both virtual and physical aspects. These exhibitions can better help visitors feel the urgency of the climate crisis and inspire them to take action.

Faced with this silent but ongoing erosion of our environment, we must explore diverse approaches to drive change together and create a fairer and more just future for our planet.