Extreme heat waves in summer, the possible suspension of Russian gas supplies and rising energy prices are causing problems for companies and private households.

But even energy-intensive cultural institutions such as museums are worried about the winter, the additional costs and the effects of climate change on their depots and showrooms.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth recently called on museums and cultural institutions to also think about saving energy in view of rising energy prices and the situation with gas.

Such institutions would have "a role model function" and would also have to do justice to this role in the areas of sustainability and environmental protection, said Roth.

On the one hand.

On the other hand, museums must store their exhibits in a climate-friendly manner and preserve them for future generations.

Kevin Hanschke

volunteer.

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That requires energy.

In many cities, museums are among the places with the highest energy consumption.

Lighting and security systems consume electricity.

In addition, in most houses, the room temperature and humidity must be strictly regulated in order to preserve cultural assets.

So how far can museums save energy and how are they dealing with the current situation?

Many German museum directors are concerned.

Nevertheless, most museums have taken initiatives and drafted plans to meet Roth's stated responsibility, even if some of the Minister of State's recommendations are viewed critically.

For the difficulties affect all houses and seasons.

The sweltering heat of the last few weeks alone is a problem for museum buildings, especially for those that were built after the war and are characterized by huge window fronts.

This includes the Frankfurt Museum for Applied Arts, which was designed by Richard Meyer in the 1980s.

Matthias Wagner K, the museum director, sees difficult climatic conditions for his house, especially in summer.

"The large amount of glass and the open room structures determine us." The air conditioning systems were not designed for such permanent summers with temperatures of over 35 degrees for more than a week and sometimes failed.

The museum is currently forming working groups to check every area - technology, depot and archive as well as everything related to exhibitions - for possible savings measures.

This would also affect the air exchange rates of the air conditioning systems.

Due to the difficult architecture, conversion measures were started early on.

In 2012, for example, the house replaced the energy-intensive lighting system with LED lighting.

But because of the current energy situation, the MAK is looking forward to winter much more anxiously than to summer.

It's the same for all museums in Germany.

More than twenty percent

"I support the initiatives that have now been taken, which are working hard to find potential energy savings," said Claudia Roth recently.

"The cultural sector is also threatened with painful cuts due to rising energy prices and the scarce gas reserves." The museums say behind closed doors that it is a challenge to find the right way in consultation with all stakeholders.

Unfortunately, there was little exchange with the institutions concerned.

Before the Ministry of Culture went public, an internal discussion among all cultural institutions would have been desirable.