On December 19th, The British Museum confirmed its ongoing collaboration with British Petroleum (BP), debunking rumors about severing ties. The oil giant is set to contribute £50 million (~$63 million) over the next decade to support the museum’s efforts in achieving carbon neutrality and modernizing its facilities.
Climate activists who have previously targeted the museum with demonstrations expressed dismay at the news. Culture Unstained accused the institution of “burying [its] head in the sand.” Muriel Gray, a museum trustee, allegedly resigned from the board in protest. However, the reasons for her resignation are yet to be confirmed.
The British Museum outlined plans to restore and renovate its Bloomsbury location. This includes introducing an Architectural Research Collection site, a state-of-the-art energy center to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and an architectural competition for redesigning one-third of the museum’s galleries. The museum will remain open to the public during these changes.
BP has been a sponsor of the British Museum since 1996. However, over the past decade, several other institutions in the UK’s arts and culture sector, such as the Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Scottish Ballet, National Galleries Scotland, Royal Opera House, and Royal Shakespeare Company, have terminated their financial partnerships with BP.
The British Museum declined to provide additional comments beyond the information outlined in its public release. Muriel Gray has not responded to inquiries about her resignation.
