In the current context of the climate and biodiversity crisis, the Museum has a unique opportunity to become a reference in research, knowledge and dissemination of information on the Anthropocene. Unfortunately, the current problems that affect us on a global scale have only just begun, and this will force us to redefine the role of natural science museums – not just ours – in this context. Museums will have to inform, propose solutions and also set an example in matters of sustainability and preservation of diversity in a progressively urbanised environment.
The Museum can play a key role in this new context and also has the opportunity to establish strategic collaborations with other institutions focused on conservation and sustainability, most of which are also located along Barcelona’s coastline. This concentration of researchers and institutions in the same area of the city is undoubtedly unique in the European context—and perhaps worldwide—and we believe the Museum can have a strategic role by articulating very diverse actors, who would not naturally interact with each other, and actively participating in many initiatives that would not be understood without the intervention of the Museum.
The next five years will be crucial in defining this entire strategy, with a new headquarters helping the Museum become a National Museum. The Museum’s integration into the new “knowledge coastline” should take place alongside the construction of various research centers around the Mercat del Peix. Establishing synergies and strong collaborations is always easier when they occur at the beginning of scientific projects, as they reinforce one another and help define them more effectively.