In early November, 11,000 scientists from 153 countries published an open letter to the authorities in which they drew attention to the necessity to implement significant changes in society in order to avoid “incalculable suffering due to climate change”. This call to focus on the consequences of climate change was also a significant part of the recent 25th General Conference of the ICOM held in Kyoto, which proposed that “the definition of museum must acknowledge the urgency of the crisis in nature and the imperative to develop and implement sustainable solutions”.

In recent years the Museo Thyssen has demonstrated a profound commitment to environmental issues, principally through the exhibitions organised in collaboration with Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA21) -such as Purple by John Akomfrah (2018) and The Sovereign Forest by Amar Kanwar (2019)- .

On this occasion the museum is making its contribution to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) with an exhibition organised in collaboration with TBA21 as well as free guided tours of the works in its permanent collections that are most closely linked to the current climate crisis.