On view in Anchorage Museum's Art of the North galleries, 19th-century American artist Thomas Hill's painting of Alaska’s Muir Glacier now features a data visualization detailing the effects of the Earth’s changing climate on water levels over the past two centuries.

Visitors to the gallery will notice graphics beneath the painting, each representing different water levels. The museum floor marks the water level in 1889 when Hill painted the glacier. The first line, nine inches above the floor, shows the current water level, and a second line, another 11 inches higher, projects the rise expected by 2100 under a low greenhouse gas emissions scenario. For many, this would mean water levels reaching above their knees.

Using Muir’s painting as a historical record, the accompanying water lines highlight the effects of glacial and ice sheet melting. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Muir Glacier has receded over seven miles since the mid-20th century. Sea levels are expected to continue to rise despite efforts to limit global temperature increases to 2.7°F (1.5°C). This potentially impacts coastal populations worldwide, including the 40% of Americans living in these regions. Alaska’s 27,000 glaciers could contribute significantly to this trend.

Artists have long played an important role in understanding the natural world by capturing evocative experiences and providing a lens through which to view and consider environmental change. By activating artwork and narratives, we hope to connect art and science in meaningful and tangible ways. Comparing water levels from the time Hill painted Muir Glacier to our place today offers ways to visualize what can otherwise be difficult to imagine.

Museum visitors can reflect on this intervention while it remains on view through fall 2024.