Carbon Literacy for Museums
Summary: Carbon Literacy Course for people that work and volunteer in museums
Part 1: Course materials distributed: on Tuesday 13 October 2026
Part 2: Tuesday 20 October 2026: 10:00-12:30, live online group session
Part 3: Thursday 22 October 2026: 10:00-11:45 and 13:00-14:45, live online group sessions
Optional action planning surgery: Tuesday 27 October 10:30-11:30, live online drop-in session
This training is for you if you are interested in:
- Engaging in sector-specific foundational learning about climate change and its impacts, and how museums fit into the global, national, local and sector picture to address the challenges we face
- Gaining the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop and take action to reduce carbon impacts and influence positive change in your museum practice
- Achieving Carbon Literacy certification
Background Information
Museum Development England, in partnership with Manchester Museum and The Carbon Literacy Project, has developed the Carbon Literacy for Museum Toolkit, a free to access peer-to-peer learning programme. The training has been rolled out since Autumn 2021 as part of Roots & Branches, the award-winning, internationally programme, and the over 2,500 people have been trained in Carbon Literacy using the Museums Toolkit.
Who is the course aimed at?
This course is for volunteers and paid staff who work across all service areas from Accredited Museums or those working towards Accreditation in England, and freelancers working with museums. We advise that, where possible, two people from your organisation attend the course for peer support when developing actions.
Priority for places will be for Accredited Museums and those Working Towards Accreditation in England that are not DCMS sponsored National museums or ACE funded National Portfolio Organisations.
The course will be delivered via an online platform for which you will need a computer or tablet to access and includes presentations, joint working exercises and discussion and video content.
Who are the trainers?
The training is delivered by experienced Museum Development Advisors and certified Carbon Literacy Trainers from Museum Development North, a certified Carbon Literate Organisation with a decade of experience developing and delivering Carbon Literacy training and environmental responsibility programming for museums.
What does the course involve?
The course will be delivered in modules and is a mixture of self-guided learning and participatory online workshops. To become certified as Carbon Literate, you must complete the entire course and submit your actions for accreditation. By booking on the Carbon Literacy course, you are committing to undertake 7.5 hours of training, split over a series of three sessions:
Session 1: Distributed Tuesday 13 October 2026. Pre-recorded introduction to Carbon Literacy for Museum training, and self-guided learning on the basics of climate change science. Duration 1 hour 30 minutes, to be completed between 13-20 October 2026.
Self-guided activities: Watch course introductory video, watch 1-hour documentary video and reflect, identify your museum object.
These activities will prepare you to join the rest of your cohort online for Session 2.
Session 2: Live online training via Zoom. Duration 2 hours 30 minutes taking place at 10am to 12.30pm on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (includes short break).
Post-session activity: calculate your carbon footprint (WWF calculator)
This session will introduce the cohort and trainers, focus on the impacts of climate change, equity and vulnerability, the roles of museums in tackling the climate crisis and green recovery. You will be asked to reflect on the questions posed in session 1 during the first part of this session.
Session 3: Live online training via Zoom. Duration 3 hours 30 minutes, taking place on Thursday 22 October 2026. This session will be delivered in two parts, with part one from 10am to 11.45am and part two from 1pm to 2.45pm (includes short breaks).
The morning session focuses on carbon budgets, the UK and International policy positions, and carbon footprints. The afternoon session is all about action planning and how we communicate about climate change with others.
All four modules of the training covered in Sessions 1-3 must be completed for learners to be eligible for Carbon Literacy certification.
Post/end of session activity: You will then have one week to complete your Carbon Literacy Participant Action Form to be eligible for certification. Submission of new, significant, achievable carbon reductions actions will enable you to be eligible to gain Carbon Literacy certification.
Optional action planning drop-in surgery: This optional drop-in session takes place on Tuesday 27 October from 10:30-11:30. This is your opportunity to meet again with your trainer to develop your action forms ready for submission, and to keep the momentum going to progress and implement your learning and be supported in your work.
Joining Instructions
You will receive joining instructions in advance of the session via email.
Please Note
By booking on a session, you agree for Museum Development North to share your booking information with your area Museum Development provider and the session host.
If there is anything we can do to help you get more out of the session, please contact hello@museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk