WORKING GROUP ON MUSEUMS AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
NOTE: the Working Group became inactive in 2008, but
its work remains available through this website. Also, since then,
Douglas Worts and Glenn Sutter have been updating certain parts as they see fit.
1. What was the Working Group?
The Working Group on Museums and Sustainable Communities was active between the fall of 2000 and the end of 2008. It was formed as a collaborative focusing its efforts on engaging the museum community in Canada in a process of awareness, reflection, learning, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and action related to their role in creating a culture of sustainability. It originated under the auspices of Environment Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Museum of Nature.
There were eight members of the Working Group, employed within museums, universities, government and other museological positions across Canada.
From 2000 to 2008, the Working Group developed and led many workshops on the theme of ‘culture and sustainability’ at museum conferences across Canada. Some of the members have published articles and book chapters on the topic of culture and sustainability, with a focus on the potential role of museums in the quest for a ‘culture of sustainability’.
2. Who were the members of the Working Group?
The Biosphére, Environment Canada
– Therese Baribeau
– Linda Liboiron
Canadian Museum of Nature
– Anne Breau
Environment Canada
– Elizabeth Kilvert
Parks Canada
– Catherine Dumouchel
Royal Saskatchewan Museum
– Glenn Sutter
Université de Moncton
– Diane Pruneau
WorldViews Consulting
– Douglas Worts
3. Resources of the Working Group
The following links provide access to documents created by the WGMSC, and by individual members of the Group. The Resource Document is a compilation of materials used in the many workshops conducted by the Working Group during the years we were organizing such events. The article written by Douglas Worts on “Measuring Museum Meanings: A Critical Assessment Framework” (2006), and published in the Journal of Museum Education, offers insights into how the CAF operates as a tool for museums interested in creating ‘cultural indicators’ that can help create and/or assess the cultural impacts on individuals, communities and organizations. From 2008-10, Glenn Sutter and Douglas Worts updated and expanded the CAF, a link to which is provided here.
Select from the links below:
Measuring Museum Meaning: A Critical Assessment Framework
Critical Assessment Framework – updated 2014