Responsibility

For us, environmental responsibility means concrete actions in our own operations. We are committed to saving natural resources and increasing the positive impact on the environment. As a proof of this, we have been awarded the EcoCompass Certificate.

In our environmental pledge, we are committed to:

• developing our operations to be more ecologically sustainable in terms of museum services and the working methods of the personnel.
• making ecological thinking a part of the museum’s everyday life. Effective actions can be seen in the museum’s acquisitions, exhibitions, public programme and communication. We encourage both our personnel and our stakeholders to operate in an ecologically sustainable manner.
• focusing on developing our practices relating to energy saving, waste, acquisitions and influencing.

Our goal is to create an operating culture that permeates the entire museum’s operations, which motivates the staff to make ecologically sustainable choices and helps us set concrete goals. On a practical level, attention is paid to everyday choices, such as energy saving, waste recycling, reuse of packaging and other materials, the quantity and quality of printed products, the environmental friendliness of our subcontractors, and the responsibility of museum shop products and manufacturers. Influencing is done especially through the means specific to the museum’s own sector: through the contents of art and our exhibitions, responsible consumption, our public programme and communication.

EcoCompass is a practical environmental management system for identifying, reducing and monitoring the environmental effects of an organisation. With expert assistance, organisations create their own environmental programs, which include concrete goals and measures to reduce their environmental impact and increase the green handprint of their operating environment.

EcoCompass is based on the international ISO 14001 standard, and is owned by Finland’s oldest and most influential environmental organisation, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.

Turku Art Museum took part in the Museums’ Climate Promise project 2022-2023.

In the project, 13 professional museums in Southwest Finland developed and critically examined their operations from the perspective of ecological sustainability. As a result of the project, the museums adopted new ecologically sustainable methods of operation and shared their know-how for the benefit of both the other participating museums and the museum sector at large.

In the project, the museums shared their best practices with each other, worked towards a common goal, and increased the knowledge and abilities of local residents on how to act in the midst of climate change and how to minimise its negative effects. The project highlighted not only the importance of reacting to climate change and the loss of nature, but also reinforced the message that measures are continuously being taken to deal with this issue in the museum sector.

Through the project, the museums in Southwest Finland presented a challenge to other Finnish museums to take practical measures for the benefit of the climate in cooperation.

The project was supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency.

Participating museums:

• Aboa Vetus Ars Nova
• Forum Marinum
• Lieto museum
• Vanhalinna, Lieto
• Naantali museum
• Harkko, Raisio
• Sagalund
• Salo Historical Museum SAMU
• Finnish Museum of Agriculture Sarka
• Turun museokeskus
• Turku Art Museum
• Uusikaupunki museum
• Museums of Åbo Akademi University Foundation

We strive to make our operations more accessible by taking into account the individual needs of our customers and employees and by keeping accessibility perspectives in all our actions.

Our accessibility principles:

• The museum’s communication reaches diverse audiences in ways that are accessible to them.
• All people can afford to use the museum’s services.
• The museum operates in accessible premises.
• Equal customer service and an open attitude which makes visiting the museum a pleasant experience.
• Obstacles to understanding are removed, taking into account different language options and ways of learning.

Easy access

The museum building is accessible to people with reduced mobility. More information on easy access can be found here.

Digital accessibility

When designing the Turku Art Museum’s website, both the legislation and guidelines regarding the accessibility of online content have been taken into account. The page accessibility statement (in Finnish) can be found here.

Financial accessibility

From the beginning of the year 2023 Turku Art Museum offers free entry the first Fridays of the month from 4 to 7 pm. Free hours aim to respond to the unequal and tightening economic situation and to make it possible for everyone to experience art, regardless of income level.

We are all jointly responsible for a safer art museum space. A safer space is created by how we treat each other.

• Power brings responsibility.
Try to recognize your own dominant position in relation to others and act knowing it. Be ready to reflect on your own behavior.

• We do not accept any form of discrimination or hate speech.
We treat everyone equally. Any kind of discrimination, bullying, racist, sexist, disability-based discrimination, as well as homophobic and transphobic speech or behavior is prohibited.

• Stay open and listen.
Be open to other people’s opinions, even if they differ from your own. Be respectful and give others the opportunity to speak, and whenever possible use language that does not exclude anyone.

• Take responsibility for your own words and actions.
Apologize if you have done wrong to another.

• Communicate and contribute to create a positive atmosphere.
Discuss and ask if you don’t understand or don’t know. Help with your own actions in creating a conversational mood and an atmosphere full of trust.

• We intervene in disruptive behavior.
If you encounter inappropriate behavior in the museum premises or something worries you, contact the museum staff.