Creswell Crags declares a climate emergency

Creswell Crags Museum and Prehistoric Gorge on the Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border, known for its scenery and cave tours, has emphasised the scientific evidence provided by the site, and museum collection, giving it an ‘almost unique’ voice in the campaign to raise awareness of climate change, and the changes people can make to live more sustainably.

Creswell Crags has joined the Culture Declares Emergency movement, and made several pledges.

These include telling the truth about the Climate and Ecological Emergency and communicating with audiences to support them to discover the truth and make changes. The aim is to educate, but also to enable dialogue and discussion.

The organisation is also leading by example.

An exemplary case study in Museum Development East Midlands’ Greener Museums programme, Creswell Crags has recently reduced energy consumption in the visitor centre by 25 per cent and reviewed and reduced single use plastics in the café, amongst other changes.

Staff now pledge to take this further, to safeguard the future of the children and young people who comprise the majority of visitors to the site.

Paul Baker, executive director of Creswell Heritage Trust, said: “Creswell Crags bears witness to extreme changes in climate over thousands of years and the evidence from our site contributes to scientific knowledge about the current rate of change, which is acknowledged to be accelerated by human factors.

“This declaration represents a commitment to use our unique position to participate in the debate, work to educate the next generation and set ourselves goals to reduce our carbon footprint.

“As an independent charity we are keen to work with other groups to support our objectives.”

In declaring a climate emergency, Creswell Crags joins others in the arts and heritage sector, including the Museums Association, which includes the Natural History Museum, the Horniman Museum, and the Tate, and National Museums Liverpool.