Accessibility
The museum strives to be accessible to all visitors. Read more about our work on accessibility.
Sustainability
Sustainability
The Nordic Watercolor Museum is a place where art, people and nature meet. Nestled on the sea shore and with the archipelago on our doorstep, the environment is a central aspect of everything we do at the museum. We promote a socially sustainable location by offering a rich programme of exhibitions and events, in order to enable locals and visitors to engage with culture all year round.
The Nordic Watercolour Museum is open all year round and produces six to eight exhibitions a year. Located among the coastal landscape of Tjörn island, West Sweden, the museum welcomes visitors from the local community and around the world. Offering a comprehensive programme, we create experiences all year round and help to create a rich cultural scene for locals and visitors alike. This attracts more visitors during the off-peak season, and makes Tjörn a vibrant place to live and work. The Nordic Watercolour Museum is and should be a place where art, people and nature meet.
ENVIRONMENT
ART AND NATURE IN SYMBIOSIS
Nestled on the sea shore and with the archipelago on our doorstep, the environment is a central aspect of everything we do at the museum. The museum works for environmental sustainability in the following ways:
- In our exhibitions, we actively strive to reuse materials and make use of waste. We always consider the long term when renovating and choosing paints.
- Exhibition transport is organised through specialised art couriers, and loading is coordinated wherever possible. The transport companies we use have environmental and quality certification.
- The museum has significantly reduced its production of printed material, and programmes and invitations to openings are now completely digital.
- Purchases are now made in larger volumes and on fewer occasions, and orders from different departments are coordinated.
- Waste separation at source and reducing waste volumes are now standard practice throughout the museum.
- There are 205 solar panels installed on the museum’s roof.
- We encourage visitors to use public transport. For selected events, such as concerts and openings, visitors are offered a bus option wholly or partially paid for by the museum.
- Geothermal heating is used in heating the museum building.
- The guest studios are heated using modern, energy-efficient air-source heat pumps.
- LEDs are used for lighting in exhibition halls and much of the outdoor environment. In staff and public spaces, such as WCs, lighting is controlled by motion sensors.
- We have initiated projects looking into digital artist residencies, both in theory and in practice.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
GOOD FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS – MORE ACTIVITIES, BROADER INVOLVEMENT
By offering a rich programme of exhibitions and events, we enable locals and visitors to engage with culture all year round. This in turn lays the foundation for more jobs and new activities, as there is a constant demand for restaurants, shops and other services. The Nordic Watercolour Museum works with Tjörn Municipality to create a vibrant, attractive location all year round. By making art available on several levels, we work actively to reduce barriers to the institution. We promote a socially sustainable location in the following ways:
- When repairing and maintaining our premises, we prioritise local suppliers for long-term partnerships.
- We support local clubs and societies, and as well as organising our own programmes we continuously co-host with local stakeholders.
- We offer free visits for schools in the municipality. The Nordic Watercolour Museum is part of the municipality’s long-term action plan to guarantee all children and young people in Tjörn Municipality opportunities to experience, participate in and create art and culture. The plan states that pupils in years 2, 3 and 7 (aged 8, 9 and 13), as well as those in special education, should visit the museum during the school year. The museum also offers free training for school personnel.
- Visitors under 26 always have free admission.
- The museum shop generally sells a range of products by local craftspeople, varying by season and exhibition.
- Our aim is that everyone, whatever their level of previous knowledge, should feel at home at the museum, and we therefore work actively to spread knowledge. With free tours, textual material, audio guides and educational tools, everyone can enhance their experiences of art.
- We take part in and run research and development projects with the aim of increasing accessibility and participation. For example, for many years we have been exploring how robot technology can reach visitors who are elsewhere geographically.
- Over the years, we have developed digital communication as a means of education, and are continuously developing new ways of making art available, also for visitors who are unable to visit us for some reason. Alongside Tjörn municipality, we have worked to ensure that all residents in retirement homes in Tjörn can enjoy the museum’s art remotely.
- In May 2022, Webperf ranked The Nordic Watercolour Museum’s website first (out of 177 listed) in the cultural activities category in Sweden. The ranking was based on the criteria of accessibility, performance, integrity and information security. Via an accessible, user-friendly website, we work to ensure everyone can engage with the information we spread.
