Shoalhaven, Australia – After years of redevelopment, the Bundanon Museum is re-opening as an art and hospitality destination with a range of amenities that preserve nature and uplift Indigenous communities.
Designed to respond to current and future climates, the museum is divided into wings that each interact differently with the local environment. To protect precious artworks from adverse climate conditions, the main art collection is housed in a subterranean building that ensures adequate thermal insulation. Elsewhere on the premises, a bridge has been constructed to respond to wildfires and flooding. Merging climate-adaptive infrastructure with hospitality, the bridge provides 32 guest suites that overlook the Australian landscape as well as a creative learning centre.
Beyond its art programming, the Bundanon museum has enlisted the help of local Indigenous communities to help lead its bushland preservation programme following wildfires that devastated the region between 2019 and 2020. By combining art, hospitality, and nature preservation, the museum caters for climate-concerned consumers who are swapping extravagant holidays with regenerative tourism, aligning itself with the tenets of Post-conscious Travel.
Strategic opportunity
As museum footfall continues to fall over the world, art institutions should consider collaborating with the hospitality sector to revive visitor interest