Too hot to handle? European heatwave exposes museums' lack of preparedness for climate extremes

A late-June European heatwave, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius, has highlighted uneven museum preparedness for climate extremes, as some institutions serve as air-conditioned refuges while others restrict access due to interior temperatures around 30°C. On 20 June, the Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt opened “TOO HOT: Scorching Cities, New Ideas” (running until 7 February 2027), focusing on how cities can stay cool without soaring energy costs. Cities including Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon, and Strasbourg have made museum entry free or kept museums open on usual closing days as “islands of freshness,” while museums in Brussels, Amsterdam, and Geneva have closed rooms or limited access. The Musée du Louvre announced it would close two hours earlier from Wednesday to Saturday, and conservation scientist Ann Bourgès said many European museums occupy historic buildings “conceived for a climate that no longer exists,” prompting measures such as the Louvre’s climatic cartography and participation in the JPI Refresh research project.

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