NuSPACES project explores societal impact and economic potential of nuclear heritage sites

A newly published report focusing on the cultural heritage of the nuclear industry has shed critical light on the societal value of safeguarding Europe's nuclear heritage. The NuSPACES report emphasised the historical significance, influence and importance of conserving artifacts from Europe’s nuclear past.

Nuclear Spaces: Communities, Materialities and locations of Nuclear Cultural Heritage, known as NuSPACES, aimed to define nuclear cultural heritage and identify how it could benefit different social groups. Led by Kingston University associate professor of criminology and sociology Dr Egle Rindzevičiūtė, the project secured funding from the European Commission's Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change to support the three-year research project.

The groundbreaking project explored nuclear cultural heritage through three interconnected areas of research. The study examined how local communities in the UK, Sweden and Lithuania define and anchor nuclear heritage in their spaces and social fabric, with a particular focus on the voices that are not traditionally included in the official historical narratives about nuclear power.

NUSPACES also analysed the emerging governance frameworks in nuclear heritage management, addressing how decommissioning responsibilities and environmental remediation are addressed across different policy sectors. The research advances understanding of how nuclear heritage sites can create new cultural, social, and economic value, particularly in areas undergoing decommissioning, emphasising the urgency of engagement to prevent the loss of such values during decommissioning.

“Nuclear heritage is a fast-growing field in many European countries due to nuclear decommissioning and its impact on local communities,” Dr Rindzevičiūtė explained. "Our study set out to define the unique attributes of nuclear heritage and uncover how this could provide tangible benefits to local populations. Without concerted efforts, we risk losing irreplaceable artifacts and traditions."

Dr Rindzevičiūtė emphasised that the project had been a very important form of public engagement. “It’s a way to make the nuclear industry more democratic and regenerate, both culturally and economically, areas which are impacted by nuclear decommissioning,” she said.

The project focussed on the UK, Sweden and Lithuania, with partners from many other European countries also engaging in the research. “There are so many nuclear sites being shut down which results in a huge amount of material legacy and cultural heritage being accumulated. There is a need to learn about and understand this material to ascertain what it represents in the current climate and how it can inform future generations,” Dr Rindzevičiūtė said.

The NuSPACES project culminated in a launch event to mark the publishing of a comprehensive report at the Science Museum in London which saw scholars and practitioners gather to discuss the future of nuclear cultural heritage in the context of social change. NuSPACES Principal Investigators Dr Eglė Rindzevičiūtė, Linara Dovydaitytė from Vytautas Magnus University and Anna Storm based at Linköping University were among the academics sharing the findings of the report.

Also speaking at the launch of the report were Samuel Alberti, the Director of Collections at National Museums Scotland, and Elizabeth Norton, the NDA Heritage Officer at Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The event saw more than 25 researchers and experts gather to discuss the report and how a continued collaboration between organisations could lead to a consistent approach to nuclear cultural heritage in the future.

Dr Linara Dovydaitytė said the success of the project was demonstrated by the engagement the project had received from all levels of society. "We were able to get policymakers, cultural experts, and local community members to discuss the importance of nuclear heritage," she explained. "This enabled these diverse groups to start having crucial conversations about what artifacts and traditions from our nuclear past need to be preserved, and how they should be presented to the public in a meaningful cultural context."

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