In 2023, it became the first museum in Spain to become an Active Member of this international community of artistic organizations working to lower the environmental impact of the museum industry

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has renewed its status as an “Active Member” of the Gallery Climate Coalition, which has acknowledged the Museum’s efforts to lower its environmental impact in 2023. The GCC praised the following actions, among others:

• Development of a prototype for a dynamic lighting project that will be rolled out throughout 2024
• Incremental measurement of the 2022 carbon footprint by including a greater scope for the temporary exhibitions, as well as measurement of the carbon footprint of the Museum’s annual dinner
• Installation of solar panels in the Museum’s external storage facility and plans for another installation in the Museum
• Greater flexibility of the environmental parameters in the exhibition halls, which has led to energy savings of 30% on natural gas and 10% on electricity for heating and cooling
• Completion of the installation of LED lights throughout the entire building
• Reduction of water loss in the Museum’s ponds
• Installation of electric charging stations around the museum to charge electric vehicles

The GCC is an international community of artistic organizations that works to lower the environmental impacts of the museum industry. The GCC’s main goal is to facilitate a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, as well as to promote zero waste. With its membership, in 2023 the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao became the first Spanish museum to join this community, which includes the most environmentally-advanced museums around the world, like the MoMA and the Tate.

The Museum’s renewal as an “Active Member” of the Gallery Climate Coalition reinforces its commitment to environmental sustainability and to achieving climate neutrality by 2030.