On November 18, 2025, Getty announced a new report on its inaugural PST ART Climate Impact Program, with baseline measurements about carbon emissions, material waste, and more from 40 exhibitions tied to the latest edition of the nation’s largest art event, PST ART. The project creates the most expansive dataset on the carbon impact of exhibition-making and will inform the next edition of PST ART in 2030. It also jump-started greener exhibition practices among participating institutions, with many completing their first-ever climate impact report and taking concrete steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
Art museums have the highest average energy consumption of all cultural institutions in the United States, and the activities and materials connected to planning and mounting exhibitions are prime targets for reducing emissions and waste. While museums recognize data tracking is essential in order to take action, there has been little standardization for measuring the climate impact of exhibition practices. The region-wide collaboration created by PST ART offered a strong network to unify data reporting.
“Organizations of all sizes were eager to participate—from larger museums to university art galleries—and PST ART gave us all the chance to learn together and tackle these issues as a community,” said Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation. “You can’t reduce your carbon footprint if you don’t measure it, so data collection was a crucial first step. We were heartened to see how many partners across the region took this opportunity to try alternative methods and materials and commit to new eco-friendly exhibition practices right away.”