Transforming underutilised land into ecological hubs that support horticultural commerce and educational engagement.

• Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn, NY):
  Offers public workshops on native planting, composting, and tree care. Revenue is generated through plant sales, memberships, and horticultural events (Green-Wood Cemetery, 2023).

  “We host tree pruning courses that sell out in days.”
  — Sara Evans, Green-Wood Cemetery

• Camposanto Monumentale, Pisa (Italy):
  Restoration and planting projects led by university gardens help maintain the cemetery’s historical value while serving as a living classroom for students and horticulturists (Fabbri, 2021).

  “Planting among tombs deepens our understanding of life, death, and regeneration.”
  — Elisabetta Fabbri

• Friedhof St. Marx, Vienna (Austria):
  A historic cemetery transformed into a semi-wild meadow garden, partnering with local schools and ecology groups. Its flowering landscapes support biodiversity and seasonal programs in education and conservation (Vienna Parks & Gardens, 2022).

  “The cemetery has become a learning landscape—where seasonal cycles are tied to memory and biodiversity.”
  — Dr. Lukas Weiss, Urban Ecology Educator

Revenue Models:

• Paid gardening workshops

• Plant and seedling sales

• Membership and volunteer programs

• University and research partnerships

• Local biodiversity and environmental education grants

Leveraging cultural heritage to build revenue streams through tourism, education, and public programming.

• Highgate Cemetery (London, UK):
  A heritage-listed Victorian cemetery known for its Gothic architecture, notable burials, and guided tours. The site offers sculpture walks, lantern-lit events, and storytelling sessions that attract heritage tourists and locals alike (Highgate Cemetery, 2021).

  “We had over 17,000 visitors last year.”
  — Leah Gold, Heritage Director

• Recoleta Cemetery (Buenos Aires, Argentina):
  Combines iconic neoclassical architecture with app-based AR tours, drawing in cultural tourists, students, and international visitors. Its unique blend of physical heritage and digital innovation enhances user experience while expanding revenue streams (Tourismo BA, 2022).

• Montjuïc Cemetery (Barcelona, Spain):
  Spanning 56 hectares on Montjuïc Hill, this cemetery is renowned for its Catalan modernist mausoleums and terraced layout overlooking the Mediterranean. It offers self-guided QR-code tours and free guided visits highlighting its artistic and historical significance. Notable figures such as Joan Miró and Lluís Companys are interred here.

  “Montjuïc tells the story of Barcelona through stone, design, and landscape.”
  — Marina Solé, Cultural Heritage Officer

Revenue Models:

• Guided tour fees: $12–$20 per person

• Sales of printed maps, historical books, and branded merchandise

• Educational partnerships and excursion programs

• Cultural event ticketing and private tour bookings

• Heritage conservation grants (e.g., UK National Lottery Heritage Fund)

• City-wide tourism partnerships and co-branded heritage passes

Hosting cultural events in cemetery spaces to attract diverse audiences and support commercial activities.

• Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Los Angeles, USA):
  Known for its famed Cinespia film screenings, this cemetery regularly transforms into a cinema and cultural venue. Movie nights under the stars are accompanied by DJs, food trucks, and themed experiences. Events attract thousands of attendees each season and are supported by sponsors, vendors, and local media (Cinespia.org, 2023).

  “It’s a magical place for cinema—and memory.”
  — Cinespia Attendee, LA Times

• Ohlsdorf Cemetery (Hamburg, Germany):
  Europe’s largest rural cemetery offers a full cultural program including music concerts, poetry readings, public lectures, and art installations. Its open-air amphitheatre and pavilions are used for seasonal festivals, exhibitions, and heritage days (City of Hamburg, 2020). Programming blends remembrance with vibrant cultural expression to activate public use.

• Glasnevin Cemetery (Dublin, Ireland):
  Beyond its guided history tours, Glasnevin has hosted theatre performances, storytelling festivals, and commemorative concerts. These events help bridge tradition with contemporary arts, deepening community connection and drawing return visitation.

  “Performance in the resting place creates a respectful space for story, voice, and remembrance.”
  — Fiona O’Shea, Community Arts Producer

Revenue Models:

• General admission and ticket sales: $15–$35 per event

• Vendor and stallholder registration fees (food trucks, artisan stalls)

• Branded merchandise and on-site concessions

• Sponsored partnerships (local film festivals, music organisations)

• Event space hire (e.g., for private concerts, pop-up theatre, outdoor classes)

Harnessing ecological value and conservation grants to transform cemeteries into thriving natural ecosystems.

• Cheltenham Cemetery (Adelaide, Australia):
  In partnership with local environmental groups and council initiatives, this cemetery has established native planting corridors and rewilding zones. Biodiversity monitoring and public engagement programs have boosted local habitat and attracted new visitors (City of Charles Sturt, 2022).

  “We’ve seen more butterflies and birds than ever before.”
  — Glenda Morrison, Volunteer Coordinator

• Okunoin Cemetery (Koyasan, Japan):
  One of Japan’s most sacred sites, Okunoin lies within an ancient cedar forest and hosts over 200 moss species. The site is managed in collaboration with environmental agencies to preserve its biodiversity, religious significance, and forest ecology (Ministry of the Environment, Japan, 2021).

  “Spirituality and ecology are inseparable here.”
  — Temple Monk, Koyasan Council

• Skogskyrkogården (Stockholm, Sweden):
  A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this woodland cemetery is known for its harmonious integration of nature and design. Its preservation practices support seasonal flora, protected wildlife, and public walking routes, encouraging ongoing ecological stewardship and research collaborations.

  “It’s a living forest of memory—rich with symbolism and biodiversity.”
  — Lotta Jonsson, Landscape Historian

Revenue Models:

• Biodiversity and habitat restoration grants (local and federal)

• Guided ecology tours and nature education programs

• Citizen science participation fees (e.g., flora/fauna surveys)

• Paid volunteer experiences (e.g., planting days, eco-maintenance)

• Research and conservation partnerships with universities and NGOs

Cemeteries of the future blend tradition with transformation. They are no longer solely places of mourning but active landscapes of life, ecology, and engagement.

By applying the 8 principal strategies for financial sustainability in future cemeteries—or a combination of them—through multifunctional land use, cemeteries can:

• Extend their operational lifespan
• Reduce reliance on burial plot income
• Support diverse civic, cultural, and commercial outcomes

Economic sustainability through multifunctional land use enables cemeteries to shift away from single-use, speculative models. Instead of over-relying on burial plot sales, they can diversify income through:

• Event programming and venue hire
• Digital legacy services
• Nature-based tourism
• Wellness and education programs
• Retail, hospitality, and lease-based models

💡 At MesoSpace, we ensure these outcomes aren’t just idealistic—they’re evidence-based, context-led, and measurable. Our methodology leverages data analysis, stakeholder insights, and iterative design to produce practical, high-impact spaces.

Cemeteries, like all civic places, must evolve with empathy, integrity, and intelligence. They must serve people, place, and purpose—not just policy or profit.

🧭 If your current designs feel disconnected or speculative, we invite you to explore our approach. With MesoSpace, you gain clarity, credibility, and future-ready outcomes rooted in the 8 principal strategies for financial sustainability in future cemeteries.

🚀 What’s Next?

👉 Stay tuned for Episode 1.2: Innovating for Longevity – Extending Cemetery Lifecycles

📥 [Download our starter template]

📞 [Book a consultation]

📞 [Get a free Design Quote]

📚 References

• ABC News. (2022). Life and legacy in modern cemeteries. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

• Barcelonaturisme.com. (n.d.). Montjuïc Cemetery. Retrieved May 2025, from https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/1480/montjuic-cemetery.html

• Cinespia.org. (2023). Event listings and archives. https://cinespia.org

• City of Charles Sturt. (2022). Cheltenham Green Corridor Plan.

• City of Hamburg. (2020). Ohlsdorf Masterplan: Cemetery as Cultural Landscape.

• City of London. (2020). Cemetery Conservation Management Plan.

• Copenhagen Municipality Parks Department. (2022). Urban Green Space Strategy Report.

• Eterneva. (2023). Memorial Diamonds Product Guide. https://eterneva.com

• Fabbri, E. (2021). Botanical Revival in Sacred Heritage Sites. University of Pisa Press.

• Francis, D., Kellaher, L., & Neophytou, G. (2005). The Secret Cemetery. Berg Publishers.

• Green-Wood Cemetery. (2023). Annual Report & Public Engagement Summary.

• Grover, J. (2023). The future of public cemeteries: Blending use, memory and landscape. Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.

• HeavenAddress. (2022). Media Kit. https://heavenaddress.com

• Highgate Cemetery. (2021). Visitor Data Report. https://highgatecemetery.org

• Jørgensen, K. (2019). Cemeteries as urban parks: The case of Assistens Cemetery, Copenhagen. Landscape Research, 44(7), 836–849. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2019.1611751

• Ministry of the Environment, Japan. (2021). Sacred Forest Conservation: Okunoin Cemetery.

• Municipality of Rosario. (2022). Urban Cemeteries and Civic Activation.

• Rookwood General Cemetery. (2022). Ecological Landscape Management Plan.

• Skogskyrkogården Official Website. (2023). UNESCO World Heritage Site Management Guidelines. https://skogskyrkogarden.stockholm

• Sloane, D. C. (2018). Is the Cemetery Dead? University of Chicago Press.

• Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust. (2023). Innovation and Services Review.

• Tokyo Parks & Cemeteries Bureau. (2021). Green Spaces in Dense Cities.

• Tourismo BA. (2022). Recoleta Cemetery AR Pilot Program. https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar

• Ville de Paris. (2021). Green Heritage Strategy – Père-Lachaise.

• Vienna Parks & Gardens. (2022). Biodiversity and Education in Historic Cemeteries. City of Vienna Report.