As the world continues to grapple with the climate crisis, a series of art shows are combining art, science, and activism to raise awareness and educate audiences through profound and ground-breaking ways.
Arcadia Earth—Manhattan, New York
New York–based experimental artist created Arcadia Earth to highlight the biggest environmental threats facing our planet. He designed the exhibition in collaboration with a collective of local environmental artists, including Basia Goszczynska, Samuelle Green, and Cindy Roe.
Arcadia1 features 18 rooms powered by augmented and virtual reality that take viewers on an immersive, multisensory journey through fantasy lands, underwater worlds, and art installations, including one made out of 44,000 discarded plastic bags: the number used in New York state every minute.
Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow)—Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
“We will live longer, but how?” asks The Museum of Tomorrow2, also known as the museum of questions.
The innovative cultural space was designed by architect, engineer and artist Santiago Calatrava to lead global conversations about climate change and the future of the planet. Structured in five parts—Cosmos, Earth, Anthropocene, Tomorrows, and Us—the exhibition projects possible scenarios in the next 50 years as a result of climate change and human activities.
“We hope people will come out feeling disturbed or inspired but not indifferent. If they feel pessimistic, it’s not because of us; it’s because of reality,” stated curator Alberto Oliveira.
Climate Museum—New York City
This is the first museum dedicated to the climate crisis in the United States. It was founded in 2015 by the former civil rights lawyer Miranda Massie. The Climate Museum’s3 mission is “to inspire action on the climate crisis with programming across the arts and sciences that deepens understanding, builds connections, and advances just solutions.” It hosts exhibitions, art installations, talks, performances, and workshops which seek to leave visitors inspired about what they can do about climate change.
Museum of Water—London, UK
The Museum of Water4 is a traveling artwork inviting discussion about water and how we use it in order to explore how we might save it for the future. It showcases a collection of more than 1000 bottles of donated water—along with accompanying stories—gathered from over 50 different sites worldwide.
These donations include water from the last ice age, a muddy puddle, samples from Mecca and the Ganges; ghost water, breaking waters, Norwegian spit, two different breaths, and water from a bedside table said to be infused with dreams. With every water metaphor, it aims to stress the fact that ‘water is our most basic need and our most overlooked.’
The Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change—Hong Kong
The Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change5 was established in December 2013 at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). It is the first museum of its kind in the world, offering an interactive, multimedia exhibition that showcases valuable collections and information about climate change.
Apart from the regular one-hour guided tour to the museum, participants get the chance to tour prime ecological sites on the campus, including Lake Ad Excellentiam, as well as a variety of workshops and activities that promote green living.
