Six projects shortlisted for Sustainable Project of the Year 2026

12/03/2026

A group of people look at a butterfly sculpture in the Yorkshire moors.

Wild Uplands was a Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture outdoor exhibition. Credit: Nida Mozuraite.

We sponsor this annual award which celebrates projects that demonstrate outstanding environmentally-driven initiatives from the past year.

These projects have been shortlisted because they have environmental sustainability at the core, or provide inspiring and easy-to-replicate ways to protect and build connections with our natural environment.

Alistair Brown, our Head of Museums, Libraries and Archives Policy, said: “From sustainably restoring a centuries-old historic building to inspiring audiences to take action for nature’s recovery, this year’s submissions were particularly strong and demonstrate just how much the sector is engaging with environmental issues.”

Who made the shortlist

Harmonising Heritage and Sustainability at Lambeth Palace

The interior of a historic building at Lambeth Palace. — The project focused on improving existing spaces and restoring Grade I listed buildings. Credit: Matt Chung.

Lambeth Palace is the 800-year-old home to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Its recent restoration project sustainably transformed the site and ensured environmental responsibility was considered in every decision, all while preserving historical integrity. This includes removing gas boilers and installing an energy centre powered by three air-source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.

It’s the oldest Grade I listed building to have achieved an ‘excellent’ BREEAM grade – a major achievement in sustainable design.

Rewrite the Future at Wardlaw Museum, University of St Andrews

Two children using the xanita display. — The project is sharing its learnings with others to further the impact. Credit: Studio Arc.

Rewrite the Future had two goals: find a more sustainable way to produce exhibitions and encourage visitors to make lifestyle changes.

It used xanita – a strong cardboard-like material that can be reused or recycled – to build walls, chairs, text panels and other parts of the exhibition. The project achieved a 75% reduction in carbon cost, reduced its landfill waste from a skip to a binbag and encouraged half of visitors to make a sustainable change in their lives.

Fixing Our Broken Planet at Natural History Museum

A display inside the museum with different climates. — It’s the museum's first new permanent gallery in a decade. Credit: Natural History Museum.

This new science-led gallery explores how food, energy, materials and health are all connected and shares practical, nature-based solutions that audiences can take today.

Natural History Museum is also sharing content from the gallery, providing access to its scientists and publishing adaptable resources for museums and cultural practitioners across the UK.

Green Pledge Project at Gloucestershire Archives

A pledgehog to encourage visitors to make a promise for nature. — Its community garden generated more than 63kg of vegetables for the local Wiggly food charity.

This two-year project helped boost the collections of the archive and improved the carbon footprint of its building, while sharing the story of Gloucestershire’s environmental legacy and encouraging people to take positive climate actions.

It installed solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations and encouraged biodiversity in the car park with new trees and other planting. It shared knowledge and advice with 7,435 people via events and talks and reached over 61,000 people with its travelling exhibitions. And through this community engagement, it gained 175 new environmental collections.

Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery at Science and Industry Museum

The exhibitions and interactives in the museum. — The project celebrates Manchester's industrial heritage and the potential of its green future. Credit: Dave Bewick, Science and Industry Museum.

The Science and Industry Museum has delivered decarbonisation across Power Hall, using green technology to heat its historic spaces and form part of the visitor experience.

This includes energy-efficient windows, doors and roof-lights and a new water source heat network to save 515 tonnes of carbon per year. New interpretation, school programmes and skills activities are inviting visitors to rethink industrial history and inspire the next generation of green engineers.

Wild Uplands at Bradford 2025

A family explore sculptures on the Yorkshire moors. — Over 70,000 people visited Wild Uplands. Credit: Andrew Benge.

Wild Uplands was a Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture outdoor exhibition on the Yorkshire moors, which took a ‘leave no trace’ approach. Artists created large-scale public art installations inspired by nature’s resilience, local plant life and the wool industry.

The locations avoided sensitive habitats, installation took place outside breeding season and portable batteries were used instead of petrol generators. A partnership with You.Smart.Thing encouraged sustainable travel, allowing visitors to compare carbon dioxide equivalents.

When the winner will be announced

From the shortlist, up to two winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in London in May.

See the full list of shortlisted projects for the Museums + Heritage Awards.

What we expect from projects we fund

To help make sure your project protects our natural world, read our environmental sustainability good practice guidance.

Interested in more projects making a positive impact for the climate? Hear from last year’s winners Stourbridge Glass Museum and Railworld Wildlife Haven.