Elise Foster Vander Elst (she/her) has over two decades experience of creating cultural impact through exhibitions, events and action research in the UK and internationally. Elise is currently Head of Exhibitions and Environmental Impact Lead at the Design Museum. In this role she leads a team to deliver up to ten exhibitions and displays per year at the museum in London. Most recently, her focus is on reformed museum practice for a green transition.
She is a pioneer in the field of low carbon exhibition making, developing industry-leading tools for carbon measurement and evaluation. Elise currently leads the Design Museum’s new Environmental Responsibility consultancy arm, supporting UK museums to reflect on their current environmental approach and update sustainability strategies across their organisations.
In 2024 she launched Museums 2030, a peer support network for UK museums and galleries working to develop greener exhibitions and regularly delivers Carbon Literacy Training for Museums.
