The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is getting a new climate change curatorship made possible through a $1.5 million donation. The curatorship is the first of its kind and will bring the transdisciplinary museum into the global climate conversation.

The ROM is currently searching for a curator to oversee the collection and introduce new conversation pieces fitting the environmental theme. According to a press release, the donours, Allan and Helaine Shiff, have been longtime ROM members and Allan Shiff saw this curatorship as a way to drive further discussion about the current climate crisis.

“Canada is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. We can’t sit idly by when we have the opportunity to shape our collective future. I believe in the power of bringing together a new movement of engaged citizens and researchers who will be a catalyst for change,” said Shiff.

As one of the world’s foremost museums, the ROM is well-positioned to become part of current global conversations on important topics like climate change.

“At the heart of our strategic plan is the ROM’s commitment to engage with the pressing ideas and issues that define our times,” said Josh Basseches, director and CEO of the ROM. “Whether it’s the climate crisis and its impact on humanity and the natural world, loss of biodiversity and habitats, or the cultural impacts of forced human migration, the ROM has a growing role to play in deepening our understanding of the science and providing evidence-based insights to our many audiences.”

There are currently 35 curatorships at the ROM, including the new Schiff addition. The museum regularly draws visitors to its other statement exhibits, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and ROM-originals Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story, The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons, and the upcoming Into the Deep: A Tale of Three Whales (opening 2021).

The ROM is open to the public, though some exhibitions and the museum’s cafe remain closed due to city COVID-19 directives. Tickets to the museum must be purchased online and are timed-stamped. Members of the museum can secure tickets for free by contacting the museum to reserve. As COVID measures fluctuate frequently, it’s best to check the ROM website for current hours before purchasing tickets or visiting the museum.