The concept of climate literacy has gained increasing prominence, referring not merely to the understanding of climate systems, but also to the ability to interpret, communicate, and act upon climate-related knowledge in contextually relevant ways. Climate literacy encompasses scientific comprehension as well as socio-cultural, ethical, and behavioral dimensions that are essential for informed decision-making and active engagement with climate challenges ([23]; [22]). It emphasizes the integration of knowledge, skills, and values to empower individuals and communities to critically evaluate climate information, participate in public discourse, and implement context-sensitive mitigation and adaptation strategies ([9]; [30]). Within educational settings, fostering climate literacy requires pedagogical approaches that combine cognitive understanding with affective engagement and participatory learning, enabling learners to connect climate science with personal and collective action ([16]; [19]; [29]).

Despite this growing recognition, prevailing models of climate change education remain predominantly rooted in positivist epistemologies, privileging knowledge acquisition and behavior modification while often neglecting affective, ethical, and relational dimensions of learning ([2]; [18]). Recent scholarship has increasingly critiqued this narrow framing, advocating for more holistic and transformative educational paradigms that foreground emotion, creativity, and critical reflection ([6]; [13]). In particular, art-based approaches have emerged as powerful mediating tools that bridge scientific knowledge with lived experience. Through visual representation, metaphor, storytelling, and sensory engagement, art enables learners to encounter climate change not merely as an abstract global phenomenon but as an emotionally and culturally embedded reality ([27]; [2]). Such approaches expand the epistemological boundaries of climate education by incorporating imagination, empathy, and the capacity to envision alternative, sustainable futures ([13]; [18]).

Building on this expanded understanding of learning, there is a growing need for pedagogical models that move beyond fragmented and disciplinary responses to climate change toward more relational and systemic forms of education. One such model is a pedagogy of interconnectedness, understood here, drawing on [18], as an educational approach that emphasizes the relational and interdependent character of learning by highlighting the connections among human communities, ecological systems, and cultural practices. In the context of climate change education, it seeks to cultivate critical understanding, affective engagement, ethical reflection, and a sense of shared responsibility and agency toward more just and sustainable futures. This understanding also resonates with [37] call for education to rebuild our relationships with one another, with the planet, and with technology.

Despite this potential, climate change remains marginal within humanities and arts education, reflecting a persistent disciplinary divide ([2]). Addressing this gap is critical, as the complexity of climate change demands interdisciplinary engagement that integrates scientific, cultural, ethical, and artistic perspectives.

Within this context, museums offer a particularly fertile ground for rethinking climate change education. As hybrid spaces situated between formal and informal learning, museums enable experiential, dialogic, and socially situated encounters with complex sustainability issues ([20]; [28]). In this study, museums are understood as both sites of museum education and spaces of public pedagogy, where informal and socially situated learning takes place, reflecting their hybrid role at the intersection of structured educational programming and broader processes of meaning-making in the public sphere ([15]; [33]; [10]). In particular, they provide conditions for art-based practices into climate communication, thereby fostering deeper forms of engagement, in which visitors can connect cognitively, emotionally, and ethically with climate-related themes. Such approaches support reflection, imagination, and the capacity to envision and orient toward more sustainable futures ([6]; [35]).

Building on this perspective, this paper contributes to the emerging field of art-based climate education in museum contexts by exploring how such practices can operationalize a pedagogy of interconnectedness, fostering transformative forms of climate learning, futures literacy, and climate agency among children and young people.

The notion of a pedagogy of interconnectedness arises from the recognition that climate change is a “wicked problem” characterized by complexity, uncertainty, and deep entanglements between ecological, social, cultural, and political systems ([31]; [18]). Such problems cannot be effectively addressed through fragmented, discipline-bound knowledge; instead, they require integrative modes of thinking that foreground relationality, interdependence, and systems awareness ([34]). Interconnected pedagogical approaches thus emphasize holistic understanding, encouraging learners to perceive the relationships among human, non-human, and environmental dimensions.

Art, as both a cultural and communicative practice, is uniquely positioned to support such integrative learning. Historically, art has responded to and catalyzed social transformations, evolving from purely aesthetic representation toward participatory, socially engaged, and interdisciplinary forms ([1]; [2]). Its mediating capacity lies in rendering the invisible visible, evoking emotional responses, and opening spaces for alternative imaginaries and futures ([13]; [27]). By engaging multiple senses and forms of representation, art fosters embodied understanding, enabling learners to connect affectively and cognitively with climate issues ([6]).

Within this framework, art-based education supports a shift from transmissive to transformative learning. Learners encounter climate change through visual, performative, and narrative modalities, integrating knowledge, emotion, and ethical reflection. This aligns with the principles of interconnectedness, emphasizing that cognition, emotion, and action are inseparable and that humans are embedded within ecological and social systems ([18]; [13]).

A pedagogy of interconnectedness also entails a critical dimension. It invites learners to interrogate dominant cultural narratives, socio-political values, and power structures that underpin environmental degradation, while simultaneously fostering imagination and co-creation of alternative, sustainable futures ([34]; [2]). In this sense, art-based approaches do not merely convey information about climate change—they reframe it as a lived, relational, and ethically charged phenomenon.

Museums, understood here as both sites of museum education and spaces of public pedagogy (as introduced above), are particularly well-suited to operationalize this pedagogy. Contemporary museology increasingly positions museums as socially responsive institutions that engage with pressing global challenges ([20]; [28]). Through exhibitions, participatory programs, interdisciplinary collaborations, and community engagement, museums create environments that foster dialogue, reflection, and collective meaning-making ([35]; [13]). By integrating art-based methodologies—such as immersive installations, storytelling, and co-creative activities—museum education can move beyond knowledge transmission toward transformative engagement, cultivating not only climate literacy but also empathy, agency, and a sense of interconnectedness among visitors ([6]; [27]).

By integrating art-based methodologies—such as immersive installations, storytelling, and co-creative activities—museum education can move beyond knowledge transmission toward transformative engagement, cultivating not only climate literacy but also empathy, agency, and a sense of interconnectedness among visitors ([6]; [27]).

This study adopts a structured literature review to critically explore the role of art-based education in museum-based climate change learning. Structured reviews offer a transparent and methodical approach to synthesizing literature while accommodating the conceptual and methodological diversity typical of interdisciplinary research ([11]; [4]; [26]). This approach balances the systematic identification and evaluation of studies with flexibility in dealing with heterogeneous sources, making it particularly suitable for integrating insights from climate change education, museum studies, and arts-based pedagogy.

The literature search was conducted across multiple academic databases and research platforms, including Google Scholar, Scopus, ProQuest, ERIC, Education Source, and Academia.edu. Key search terms included “art-based education”, “climate change education”, “museum education”, and “pedagogy of interconnectedness”, and “public pedagogy”, combined using Boolean operators. While no strict temporal limitations were applied, studies published within the last two decades were prioritized to capture contemporary trends in climate communication and museum engagement.

A set of inclusion and exclusion criteria was applied to ensure relevance and scholarly rigor. Studies were included if they addressed climate change education in museum or informal learning contexts, employed art-based, interdisciplinary, or participatory approaches, and provided empirical data, theoretical frameworks, or well-documented case studies. Studies were excluded if they focused solely on formal education, lacked methodological clarity, or addressed environmental education without explicit engagement with climate change. A two-stage screening process—title/abstract review followed by full-text evaluation—resulted in a final sample of fifteen studies.

Thematic analysis was used to examine the selected studies, allowing for identification of recurring patterns, concepts, and analytical categories ([5]). Coding was iterative, combining inductive and deductive strategies to capture both emergent themes and pre-defined conceptual dimensions. Four main analytical dimensions were identified: a) institutional roles of museums, b) educational objectives, c) pedagogical approaches and methods, and d) emerging trends. This structure facilitated a systematic synthesis and supported interpretation of findings in relation to the concept of a pedagogy of interconnectedness.

While the structured review provides a rigorous and transparent framework, limitations include the small number of selected studies, potential database bias, and heterogeneity of methodologies and contexts, which constrain direct comparability. Nonetheless, the approach offers a coherent, analytically grounded overview of research trends and lays the foundation for further empirical and theoretical investigation in museum-based climate change education.

This review demonstrates that museum-based climate change education is undergoing a substantial epistemological and pedagogical transformation, moving away from transmission-oriented models toward more participatory, affective, and transformative approaches. Central to this shift is the integration of art-based practices, which expand the scope of climate education by engaging learners not only cognitively but also emotionally, ethically, and imaginatively.

By situating these developments within the framework of a pedagogy of interconnectedness, the study highlights how museums can foster relational ways of knowing that emphasize the interdependence between humans, culture, and the natural environment ([18]). In this sense, museums are not merely sites for communicating climate science, but spaces where meanings are negotiated, values are questioned, and alternative futures are envisioned ([6]; [24]).

The findings further indicate that effective climate education in museums requires the integration of cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, aligning with broader theories of transformative learning. Art-based approaches play a pivotal role in this integration, as they enable the translation of abstract knowledge into embodied and emotionally resonant experiences, thereby strengthening the connection between understanding and action ([6]; [13]).

At the same time, the review points to ongoing challenges, including the risk of superficial engagement and the persistence of anthropocentric narratives ([25]). In this context, superficial engagement may be understood as forms of interaction that remain at the level of aesthetic appreciation or immediate emotional response, without fostering deeper critical reflection, relational understanding, or sustained action. While such experiences may generate initial interest, they do not necessarily lead to meaningful or transformative learning. Addressing these challenges requires more critically reflexive practices, as well as stronger links between museum initiatives and broader social and structural dimensions of climate action.

This paper contributes to the literature by synthesizing interdisciplinary research and demonstrating how art-based museum education can operationalize a pedagogy of interconnectedness. It provides a conceptual framework that connects museum studies, climate education, and arts-based pedagogy, offering new insights into the role of informal learning environments in sustainability transitions.

For practitioners, the findings suggest the need to a) design participatory and co-creative learning environments; b) integrate affective and experiential dimensions into climate communication; and c) foster cross-sector collaborations between artists, scientists, and educators. These recommendations are reflected in existing practice. For example, [2] describes a participatory art-based project in a high school in Portugal in which participatory students engaged with climate change through creative, reflective and collaborative processes, supporting both emotional engagement and critical awareness. At the institutional level, [35] discusses the redevelopment of the Hall of Planet Earth at the American Museum of Natural History, where interactive digital installations enable visitors to explore climate scenarios and examine the consequences of human decisions through real-time feedback. Similarly, [17] present a bilingual climate change exhibition that enhances accessibility and engagement by combining multilingual communication with interactive elements, thereby supporting more inclusive meaning-making processes.

While these approaches offer considerable pedagogical potential, their implementation is accompanied by a range of challenges. Practical constraints include limited institutional funding, the need for specialized staff training in participatory and arts-based methods, and the complexity of designing inclusive experiences accessible to diverse audiences. In addition, institutional structures and established exhibition conventions may limit the extent to which more experimental, dialogic, and co-creative practices can be adopted. These challenges are also reflected in the literature, which points to structural and organizational barriers in the implementation of innovative climate education practices. Addressing these barriers is essential for the sustainable and meaningful integration of art-based climate education within museum contexts.

For researchers, further work is needed to 1) empirically assess the long-term impact of art-based interventions; 2) examine visitor engagement and behavioral change; and 3) explore issues of inclusion, equity, and cultural diversity in museum-based climate education.

In conclusion, museums hold significant potential as catalysts for transformative climate learning, with art-based education serving as a critical vehicle for fostering interconnected, reflective, and action-oriented forms of engagement. By embracing this role, museums can contribute meaningfully to the development of more sustainable and socially just futures.

This article is based on research conducted within the project “Education for Climate Change and Museums” (2021-2023), carried out at the Environmental Education Lab, Department of Educational Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.