Room 2017 only contains one temporary exhibition, Human Ecology: integrating environmental perspectives. As they are one, the Room and Gallery share an introduction about the need to prioritise “care” in conditions of equality at all levels (gender, ethnicity, population, type of settlement, socio-economic situation, and country), to achieve the required social sustainability on which it is sustained, environmental sustainability.

For most of our biological history family ecology and care have been in the hands of women, as they were responsible for the biological and social upkeep of our species, the transmitters of traditional knowledge and protectors of the health, life and emotional care in family groups. And all these tasks were carried out at the same time they were working in the fields and services, often for no pay. This situation, which remains virtually intact in the rural world of the least privileged countries, is going through different transitional phases in other populations in the urban world (closer to real equality and equity) where women have acceded to specialised professions and paid employment.

Visualising, politicising and prioritising the care and protection of life as an essential duty for sustainability and ensuring co-responsibility of men and women in these tasks