This seminar explores how industrial heritage museums navigate their role in energy transition discourses. We welcome participants to join the discussion or submit a short proposal for a contribution.
Please complete this form to register your interest or propose a presentation.
We accept presentation proposals till 25 April 2025. We are currently coordinating with the presenters to determine the most suitable time for the event, and we will update all participants once the schedule, including the exact timing, is confirmed.
This seminar explores how extractivist museums navigate their dual role as custodians of industrial heritage and contributors to contemporary environmental and energy transition discourses. Through comparative case studies of former mines-turned-museums and oil museums across diverse regions and socio-cultural contexts, we examine how these institutions adapt their narratives and operations in response to climate change and energy transition imperatives. Key topics include commercialization and exhibition strategies at mining heritage sites and museums, as well as their documentation of mining-related activities through film and fine art. The seminar also investigates the evolving representation of petroculture in museum spaces, the balance between heritage preservation and environmental advocacy, and museums’ engagement with sustainability narratives. By analyzing these themes, the seminar contributes to broader discussions on the role of industrial heritage museums in fostering public understanding of energy transition and environmental sustainability. It also examines how these institutions can serve as platforms for dialogue on just and equitable energy futures.
The seminar is organized jointly by Anna Kuteleva (University of Wolverhampton, UK) and Andrei Rogatchevski (The Arctic University of Norway). For questions please email: a.kuteleva@wlv.ac.uk.