Archaeology, Museums and the Communication of Climate Change Submitted by Gabrielle Clare Jessica Collins as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology in February 2019 This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. GCJ Collins Signature: …………………………………………………………... 1 Abstract Climate change is widely acknowledged to be one of the most pressing issues of our time. The effects of the current climate crisis will impact on all areas of society. Museums, as trusted public institutions and sites of learning and inspiration, are starting to address their role in the effective communication of climate change. With their multi-disciplinary collections and expertise, museums have the resources to engage audiences with the causes and results of climate change in ways that are positive and affirming, in the face of the frequently negative and frightening narratives in the media. Museum archaeology has so far received little attention in the growing discourse around museums as climate change communicators. This study seeks to investigate the potential for an archaeological voice to be heard in climate change engagement in museums. The connections between archaeology and climate change are explored, in the context of human response to environmental change both in the past and today. Museums as sites for the communication and creation of archaeological knowledge are examined, along with a consideration of the visitor experience, museum objects and constructivist learning in the museum. The qualities that make museums appropriate places for climate change communication are analysed, as well as the constraints they face. Examples of climate change initiatives in museums are outlined. Using data gathered from structured interviews with museum practitioners, and empirical observations made at selected museums, reflections and suggestions are offered on the opportunities that exist for museums to create climate change engagement involving archaeological objects and ideas. Archaeology by its nature demonstrates resilience, adaptation and survival. This study concludes that by bringing a human element to ‘difficult’ science, along with a wealth of stories, archaeology has a unique contribution to make in museum narratives of climate change. Key words Climate change communication, public archaeology, role of museums, museum learning, structured interviews 2 List of Contents List of figures 8 Chapter 1 Introduction: waking up to climate change 1.1 A climate change background 12 1.2 Aims and content of the study 16 Chapter 2 Archaeology and climate change: making the connections 2.1 Introduction: archaeologists and climate change 19 2.2 The relationship between archaeology and climate change 2.2.1 Climate and culture in the Enlightenment 24 2.2.2 Early palaeoenvironmental work 25 2.2.3 Scientific developments in the nineteenth and early 25 twentieth centuries 2.2.4 An ecological approach to archaeology 27 2.3 Archaeology and climate change today 2.3.1 The nature of archaeological discourse on climate change 29 2.3.2 Climate change and human activity 30 2.3.3 Human responses to climate change past 31 2.3.4 Archaeology and current climate change 35 2.4 Archaeology and climate change in academic journals 2.4.1 Methodology 42 2.4.2 Results: analysis and discussion 43 2.5 Conclusion 48 3 Chapter 3 Archaeology and museums: communication and change 3.1 Introduction: why museums? 52 3.2 The changing museum 3.2.1 A museum’s role 57 3.2.2 The Renaissance museum and museums of the 58 Enlightenment 3.2.3 The emergence of the museum as a modern institution 61 3.2.4 The post-modern museum 63 3.3 Museums and the communication of archaeology 3.3.1 Archaeology and the public 69 3.3.2 Learning and communication in the museum 73 3.3.3 The visitor experience 77 3.3.4 The role of museum objects 83 3.4 Conclusion 89 Chapter 4 Climate change and museums: a new challenge 4.1 Introduction: what do we think of climate change? 92 4.2 Perception and understanding of climate change 94 4.3 Museums as communicators of climate change 4.3.1 A climate change role for museums 101 4.3.2 The challenges of climate change engagement 112 4.3.3 Museum archaeology and climate change 116 4 4.4 Case studies of climate change engagement 4.4.1 Around the world: museums and climate change initiatives 121 4.4.2 Examples of climate exhibitions in museums 129 4.4.3 A different narrative: climate change and contemporary art 140 4.4.4 Climate change engagement at the Natural History 142 Museum and the Science Museum, London 4.5 Conclusion 154 Chapter 5 A methodology for assessing the potential of museum archaeology in climate change initiatives 5.1 Introduction: a two-fold methodology 158 5.2 The interview process 5.2.1 Integrating qualitative research techniques from the social 160 sciences 5.2.2 Conducting the interviews 163 5.2.3 Choice of interview questions 164 5.2.4 Analysing the results 167 5.3 Conclusion 167 Chapter 6 Analysis and discussion: observations and assessment 6.1 Introduction: from theory to reality 169 6.2 Museums in the South West of England 6.2.1 Torquay Museum 173 6.2.2 The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter 178 5 6.2.3 Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery 183 6.2.4 Bristol Museum and Art Gallery 187 6.2.5 The Museum of Somerset, Taunton 191 6.3 National museums 6.3.1 The British Museum 195 6.3.2 National Museum of Wales, Cardiff 200 6.4 Conclusion 203 Chapter 7 Analysis and discussion: structured interviews 7.1 Introduction to analysing the interview responses 208 7.2 Questions on the museum’s archaeology collections, the planning of exhibitions, visitor engagement and response 7.2.1 The museum’s archaeological collections 212 7.2.2 Archaeology exhibits in the museum 214 7.2.3 Planning of exhibitions 218 7.2.4 Evaluation and visitor feedback 221 7.3 Questions relating to the future: the potential for communicating climate change issues using archaeological collections 7.3.1 Opportunities for multi-disciplinary engagement 225 7.3.2 Imagining a climate change exhibition 229 7.3.3 Challenges of presenting climate change 239 7.3.4 Linking past climate change with climate change today 246 7.3.5 Using archaeological objects in climate change 254 engagement 6 7.3.6 A museum’s responsibility 262 7.4 Supplementary questions 272 7.5 Conclusion 278 Chapter 8 Conclusion: facing the future, touching the past 8.1 Introduction: a way forward for archaeology, museums and 290 climate change communication 8.2 Climate change engagement in museums 292 8.3 A voice for archaeology 295 8.4 Ideas for further study 299 8.5 Conclusion 300 Appendix 1 Search results for Journal of Archaeological Science 302 and Antiquity Appendix 2 Interview transcripts 306 Bibliography 404 7 List of figures NB Unless otherwise attributed, all the photographs used in this study are by the author. Fig. 1 Times of change: the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, 32 Orkney, was most likely abandoned because of encroaching sand dunes and sea water. Fig. 2 Journal of Archaeological Science: number of articles 44 containing the search term “climate” OR “climatic” and “climate change” OR “climatic change”, 1974 − 2018. Fig. 3 Journal of Archaeological Science: research articles 45 containing the search term “climate” OR “climatic”, 1974 − 2018. Fig. 4 Journal of Archaeological Science: research articles 45 containing the search term “climate change” OR “climatic change”, 1974 − 2018. Fig. 5 Journal of Archaeological Science: research articles 46 containing the search term “climate” OR “climatic”, and “climate change” OR “climatic change”, 1974 – 2018. Fig. 6 The old embracing the new: the entrance to the Ecology 65 gallery in London’s Natural History Museum. Fig. 7 Historic institutions: the museum buildings in Bristol and 66 Exeter. Fig. 8 Reality and reconstruction: on-site interpretation at the Bronze 72 Age site of Flag Fen, Cambridgeshire. Fig. 9 Open to question: cultural artefacts invite reflection in the 75 RAMM, Exeter. Fig. 10 Challenges of science communication: text panels and 79 photographs in the former Earth Today and Tomorrow gallery in London’s Natural History Museum. Fig. 11 Making connections: a ‘cabinet of curiosity’ at the RAMM, 84 Exeter, showcasing the variety of objects in the museum’s collections. Fig. 12 Extreme weather hits the headlines: the UK floods in 2016. 95 Fig. 13 Explaining the science of climate change: a graphic from the 99 Met Office website. 8 Fig. 14 Journey through the Greenland ice sheet: photographs of ice 123 cores and a video installation by artist Peggy Weil at the ‘In Human Time’ exhibition at the Climate Museum, New York City. Fig. 15 Memories in bottles: the Museum of Water collects donations 125 of water and the stories that go with them. Fig. 16 The power of story-telling: the ‘ghost boat’ exhibit by Climate 128 Hack at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge. Fig. 17 Early encounters, future fears: reconstructed humans and 131 depictions of climate conflict to come, from the exhibition ‘Living in the Extreme’ at the Westfälisches Museum für Archäologie. Fig. 18 Artistic visions: a crocheted coral reef at the ‘Welcome to the 134 Anthropocene’ exhibition, Deutsches Museum. Fig. 19 A traditional gallery updated: themed installations in the Living 135 Worlds gallery at Manchester Museum.