Our Broken Planet: How we got here and ways to fix it
We are living in the age of humans, a time referred to by many as the Anthropocene. Our species has caused huge changes on our planet, including global warming and rapid biodiversity loss. To explore this and inspire solutions, the Natural History Museum developed the experimental Our Broken Planet exhibition and public programme.
Our Broken Planet was successful in sparking dialogue and debate, going on to be shortlisted for the United Nations SDG Action Awards. It brought together scientists and policy makers and empowered young people to be advocates for the planet. It also includes Generation Hope, a programme of inspiring workshops, panels and talks created in partnership with young people, for young people.
We have ambitious plans to grow the programme. Our aim is to reach the widest possible audience and inspire action across four key themes – food, materials, energy, and health. To enable this, we're building a Community of Practice to support museums to develop local displays and explore how the content could engage younger and more diverse audiences across the UK.
Introducing...
Fixing Our Broken Planet Interconnected. From mini-grants and support packages to bigger collaborations, these new opportunities will help your organisation to create advocates for the planet.
-
What is a Community of Practice?
The Our Broken Planet: Community of Practice is made up of museum practitioners across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
This programme was shaped from the responses to a survey of over 70 UK institutions who told us about their interests, needs and existing expertise in addressing the planetary emergency. As a result, this Community will become a place to interact, learn, and collaborate, fostering knowledge exchange among museum teams, scientists, researchers, youth engagement experts, and cultural practitioners. By participating, you can:
- Enhance your expertise in developing innovative exhibitions that explore human impacts on our environment.
- Learn to connect climate-related issues with local contexts and collections, incorporating contemporary science research.
- Develop skills to effectively engage youth through meaningful dialogue and debate.
- Connect with like-minded peers, engage in regional events, share valuable resources, and collaborate on climate-focused engagement strategies.
- Gain access to potential funding and resources to translate learning and ideas into impactful practices.
Get involved:
- Online 'Bitesize' Talks: a series of short webinars that share best practice across the sector from different perspectives including scientists, artists, curators and researchers.
- In-Person Networking Events: in-person gatherings around the UK, designed to facilitate informal networking, knowledge sharing and exchange across members. We work with local partners and experts to highlight place-based approaches to communicating and responding to the planetary emergency. So far, we have gathered in Doncaster, Dudley and Edinburgh and we’re now planning events in Wales, Northern Ireland and Southeast England.
If you have any further questions about how to get involved with the Community of Practice, please get in touch with us at nationalprogrammes@nhm.ac.uk.
Fixing Our Broken Planet Interconnected: Grants, Support Packages and Collaborations
Fixing Our Broken Planet: Interconnected connects people and planet through exhibitions, displays and events. By combining contemporary environmental science and thoughtful curation with collaborations rooted in place, Fixing Our Broken Planet Interconnected will create advocates for the planet through collaborative activity in different parts of the UK.
Key dates
- 24 July: Applications open
- 23 September: Applications close
- 1 October: Decisions communicated
- March 2025 - May 2027: Delivery of projects
Opportunities
1. Generation Hope
Generation Hope is an annual events programme that delves into the challenges and solutions for people and planet. These free events are hosted at the Natural History Museum in London and include inspiring workshops, panels and talks created in partnership with young people, for young people. This opportunity is designed to extend Generation Hope across the UK to create more advocates for the planet through your own localised programming and events.
- grants up to £2,500 for two to three organisations on an annual rolling basis – for events and programming on the planetary emergency aimed at a youth audience to coincide with Generation Hope events at our Museum each Spring, usually March
- guidance pack, four meetings with us for ideation and practical support and one follow-up evaluation meeting
- the option of hosting live satellite events, broadcast from our space in South Kensington
Funding to cover projects for three years until March 2027, applications for projects taking place in March 2025 will close 23 September but applicants may also apply for future years e.g. March 2026 or March 2027. In addition, the applications will open again at the same time each year for subsequent rounds.
2. Interconnected: Light
An opportunity to host the displays from the Fixing Our Broken Planet exhibition alongside your own collection items and storytelling. Plus, the option to run associated localised programming and events as part of Generation Hope.
- grants up to £3,000 for 10 organisations
- one-off* opportunity – not rolling applications
- projects to be delivered between March 2025 and May 2027 (seven light touch projects 2025-26, three light-touch projects 2026-27)
- projects can incorporate and build-on existing projects that are thematically linked, be adapted through local collection items and be added to
- guidance pack, four meetings with our team, including our scientists for ideation and support, plus one follow-up evaluation meeting
- use of abridged IP package featuring four key stories from the latest Fixing Our Broken Planet display
3. Interconnected: In-depth
An opportunity for bigger projects with scientific and curatorial support plus access to a larger pool of Fixing-Our-Broken-Planet-related content to be adapted to your local context.
- grants up to £10,000 for four organisations
- one-off* opportunity – not rolling applications
- projects to be delivered between March 2025 and May 2027 and can incorporate existing projects that are thematically linked
- guidance pack, eight meetings with our scientists and exhibitions team plus one follow-up evaluation meeting and local science partnership support
- use of IP package with up to 10 key stories and infographics, interactive, specimen photographs and videos
We have split this funding into two tranches, development money (£2500) and delivery money (£7500), which will be distributed as follows;
- March 2025-2026: £2500 development money for four organisations
- March 2026-2027: £7500 delivery money for same four organisations
*Applications may be opened again if not all places are filled in this application round.
Sign up now
Register using the form below and we'll send you monthly email newsletters with details of upcoming webinars and events and updates from the network and Our Broken Planet programme.