Climate readiness for people, collections, and operations 

This section assesses how prepared the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is to respond to climate driven disruptions and utility failures. It builds on regional climate projections, institutional experience, and workshop based scenario planning. The findings form a consistent method that institutions across the EcoDistrict can use to measure readiness and coordinate improvements. 

Sections:

Climate Risk Priorities 

Regional modeling shows that the district will see hotter summers, more frequent cold extremes, stronger storms, and greater variability in seasonal moisture. Each institution ranked its highest risk scenarios based on collection sensitivity, building conditions, and operational vulnerabilities. 

  1. Utility outage 
  2. Extreme cold 
  3. Extreme heat 
  4. Flooding 
  5. Drought 
  6. Low air quality 
  7. High winds and storms 

NAMA staff emphasized tight humidity and temperature tolerances for art collections. Mechanical strain during cold snaps and heat waves is a leading concern, along with water intrusion into lower level spaces and stormwater driven seepage. 

Institutional Findings 

A. Key risks to collections, operations, and people 

  • Utility loss compromises environmental stability for all galleries and storage areas. 
  • Extreme cold creates condensation and freeze risks for humidification systems, coils, and distribution piping. 
  • Extreme heat pushes mechanical systems to their capacity and can lead to loss of humidity control. 
  • Flooding risks include water entry at grade, condensation from thermal bridging, and irrigation related moisture near foundation walls. 

B. Triggers for relocation of art, artifacts, or books 

Triggers are precise and driven by conservation tolerances: 

  • Presence of water 
  • Temperature instability 
  • Relative humidity fluctuation 
    Collections are moved only when environmental thresholds are crossed or expected to be crossed. 

C. Staff roles and responsibilities 

  • Collections team evaluates object level risks and directs relocation or stabilization. 
  • Facilities team manages mechanical responses, leak control, and environmental monitoring. 
  • Security coordinates building access, evacuation support, and external communication. 
  • Administration provides decision authority and manages insurance and reporting. 

D. Protective measures already in place 

  • Robust air filtration and humidity control systems. 
  • Environmental sensors and building automation alerts. 
  • Collection storage located in controlled areas with some elevation above floor. 
  • Water response supplies staged in mechanical rooms. 
  • Existing envelope monitoring in sensitive areas. 

E. Priority collections lists 

Priority collections risks are categorized by failure mode: 

  • Water intrusion and flooding 
  • Temperature and humidity fluctuation 
  • Condensation from cold surfaces or mechanical issues 
    Department specific lists guide movement procedures. 

F. Coordination and training with local responders or external experts 

  • Coordination with conservation networks for salvage and stabilization. 
  • Mechanical and electrical partners engaged for rapid response. 
  • Desire for district wide training on climate scenarios and shared playbooks. 
  • Opportunity to develop unified communication protocols across institutions. 

Summary of Institutional Readiness 

 Strengths 

  • Strong internal coordination among conservation, facilities, and security. 
  • Clear relocation triggers based on environmental thresholds. 
  • Mechanical and monitoring systems provide a strong foundation. 

Gaps and Opportunities 

  • Need updated master lists for emergency contacts and system loads. 
  • Prepare more detailed water entry and stormwater mapping. 
  • Strengthen backup systems for vault and gallery conditioning. 
  • Improve district level communication and shared training. 

District Level Opportunities 

The workshop revealed shared needs across institutions. These can become district initiatives. 

Shared opportunities 

  • Consistent training for emergency response scenarios. 
  • Shared templates for relocation triggers, communication plans, and emergency kits. 
  • District wide utility outage coordination with Evergy and municipal responders. 
  • Shared resource pool for pumps, temporary dehumidification, and protective supplies. 
  • Climate monitoring and event logs maintained at district scale. 

Repeatable Method 

The emergency planning approach developed through the NEH Climate Smart project can be adopted by any institution. 

Steps 

  1. Identify climate risks using regional data and local experience. 
  2. Select top risks and complete proactive, reactive, and recovery planning. 
  3. Use the six planning questions to clarify roles, triggers, protective measures, and coordination. 
  4. Document priority collections and communication chains. 
  5. Review and update plans annually and after major events. 

This method creates usable, measurable, and consistent emergency readiness across the district.