The museum made two main changes for the reopening, Mr. Fischer said. The museum will be built on the site of a major excavation investigating the archaeology of the ancient kingdom of Benin – a partnership between the British Museum … Get closer to the British Museum's collection and immerse yourself in two million years of history, across six continents. “I think it’s a good decision,” she added. Shop. New British Museum: A Choice Selection From The Works Of The Most Celebrated English Authors, Volume 5... [Anonymous] on Amazon.com. Connect the dots between time, continents and cultures in this interactive timeline featuring objects from the collection. Can these tigers cross a river without leaving the naughty cub alone? The 10-year plan will reintroduce the museum's iconic Round Reading Room. But the museum is a cathedral to the practice. The British Museum Reopens to a World That Has Changed While it was closed, the museum altered several exhibitions to clarify its links to slavery and … Chris Michaels, Head of Digital and Publishing and Andrew Shore 13 January 2017 Welcome to the new British Museum blog, a place where we’ll share with you the Museum’s many stories. Visit the online shop. It is reproduction of a necklace which was popular in 100-200 BC. Save Our Statues, a campaign group, said on Twitter that it showed “such disrespect & ingratitude to a man whose generosity has helped preserve so much world history for millions to enjoy.” Other Twitter users pointed out that Sloane had not owned any slaves himself, but that his wealth came from plantations owned by his wife. Now, it is in a display case with items related to Britain’s involvement in the slave trade. “I think it’s time we stopped our cringing embarrassment about our history,” he told reporters on Tuesday. When asked about looted items in the museum’s collection, Mr. Fischer reacted strongly. He said none were, adding that it was a “big issue we need to address.” (He was actually wrong, a spokeswoman for the museum said: The museum has one Black curator, an archaeologist.). Curator Tim Clark finds the answer in a Japanese painted silk screen. Mr. Fischer said he does not use social media, adding that he was aware of the fuss, and that he stood by the decision. Explore the Museum's galleries from home and get closer to the collection, using Google Street View. 10% off for Members Become a Member and enjoy a 10% discount at all of the Museum's shops. “It’s not a beginning when it comes to facing our own history,” Mr. Fischer said, adding, “You’ll see much more of this in the future.”. The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic world represents an exciting new vision, displayed across two magnificent refurbished galleries at the heart of the British Museum. NEW BRITISH MUSEUM MEDITERRANEAN GOLD PLATED GARNET INLAID NECKLACE REPLICA 100-200 BC. Support us by becoming a Member today and get 10% off in our online shop. For years, the museum has faced calls to return key items from the collection to their countries of origin, including the Benin Bronzes, a dazzling collection of hundreds of artifacts taken by British forces in a brutal 1897 military raid. From musical performances to discussions on climate change, join one of our upcoming free online events. Mongolia’s prime minister resigns after protests over a Covid patient’s treatment. The Museum of the World – an interactive experience through time, continents and cultures, featuring some of the most fascinating objects in human history. Read our cookie policy. The Parthenon Marbles on display at the British Museum. The British Museum currently cares for more than 900 objects from Benin, a significant proportion of which came to the Museum immediately after the conquest of Benin City in 1897. The Great Court is entered from the Museum’s principal level and connects all the surrounding galleries. “And it’s also an extraordinary place to come in for conversation, debate,” and “respectful exchange,” he said. It was the key to unlocking the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphics. In 1881 the original natural history collections were transferred to a new building in South Kensington to form the Natural History Museum, and in 1973 the British Museum’s library was joined by an act of Parliament with a number of other holdings to create the British Library. The project is a partnership between the British Museum and Google Cultural Institute. Ukraine ended secret government spending, but vaccine makers are demanding it. “This is the most extraordinary place to learn about humankind and its history,” he added. The British Museum Reopens to a World That Has Changed While it was closed, the museum altered several exhibitions to clarify its links to slavery and colonialism. Passers-by and visitors outside the museum on Thursday morning. As at other institutions these days, there were hand sanitizer stations and one-way routes, a limited number of visitors, and many masks. The Rosetta … *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ms. Greer, who is African-American, was the deputy chair of the museum’s board for four years and hosted a series of talks there earlier this year about how cultural institutions can reckon with colonialism’s legacy. Whether it's a behind-the-scenes podcast or a closer look at our galleries, here are 10 ways to explore the Museum while we're closed. The departure of the British Library was the catalyst for removing the bookstacks and recapturing the courtyard as a new public focus. October 1, 2020–February 28, 2021 Kath Miller, 73, said it was good that the museum wasn’t hiding his links with slavery. Arctic: Culture and Climate, an exhibition at London’s British Museum, celebrates the resilience and adaptability that has seen the Arctic's Indigenous People survive and thrive in a … The museum reopened after a five-month closure because of the coronavirus. Photograph: The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum. The British Museum shared their recent press release with the New Statesman, but declined to comment further. “I think it is starting to move,” she said. “Before it just said about his travels and how his great collection came about. was torn down in June in Bristol, England, who resigned from the museum’s board last year in protest. Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister, dismissed calls for the song to be dropped from the event. While it was closed, the museum altered several exhibitions to clarify its links to slavery and colonialism. The new text that explains Hans Sloane’s links with slavery had been “co-written with the Black British community,” for example, he said. LONDON — After being closed for 163 days by the coronavirus pandemic, the British Museum on Thursday became the last of Europe’s major museums to welcome back visitors. Your support is vital and helps the Museum to share the collection with the world. The first was moving a bust of Hans Sloane — a physician and collector of curiosities whose holdings formed the basis of the museum when it was founded in 1753 — from a plinth in a prominent gallery to a display case. The New Britain Museum of American Art welcomes all people to explore American art through our permanent collection, special exhibitions, and incredible programs. “He probably wasn’t a nice person,” she said, standing in front of the bust. For your consideration is this new Mediterranean design gold plated necklace with garnet inlaid. “I think that’s what’s really at the heart of this institution,” he said. “Doing this, it’s very with the times, isn’t it?” she said. Welcome to the new British Museum blog 13 January 2017. The British Museum has said it would loan some of the items to Nigeria when it builds a new museum to display them, but has resisted calls to return them permanently. The British Museum and British Museum Shop use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience, to improve functionality and to make advertising relevant to you and your interests. The exhibition showcases extraordinary objects from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, Japan, the UK and USA, from the seventh century AD to the present, and includes masterpieces of sculpture, painting, prints and ritual objects. “They do a lot and should talk about it,” she said. The British Museum has been styled in the press (and styled itself in its own press release) as a bulwark against looting. In the statement, Mr. Fischer said the British Museum was “aligned with the spirit and soul” of the movement. “There’s eight million objects in this collection,” he added, most of them acquired by scientists and collectors with genuine passion and interest in world culture. ", The British Museum Reopens to a World That Has Changed. It was bought from the British Museum almost 10 years ago but was never used. How to explore the British Museum from home, Travel through two million years of history, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/inspired-by-the-british-mus…, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/lewis-chessmen-collection.h…, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/inspired-by-london.html, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/inspired-by-cats.html, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/inspired-by-hokusai.html, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/sutton-hoo.html, https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/inspired-by/ancient-egypt.html. The fact the museum doesn’t blow its own horn, she added, was likely “a British thing.”, Ahdaf Soueif, an Egyptian novelist who resigned from the museum’s board last year in protest over a range of issues, including its colonial legacy, said dethroning Sloane’s bust and the new trail “seemed excellent.”. The 20-foot balloon dubbed “Trump Baby” that floated over President Trump as he traveled at home and abroad is being retired to to the Museum of London in the city where it … This is not just a redesign, but a rethink of what a blog is for. “Did our lives matter when your STOLE ALL OUR THINGS?” Stephanie Yeboah, an author, wrote on Twitter. On Thursday at the museum, a dozen visitors said in interviews they had heard about the Sloane bust in the news media. That idea was widely mocked online. Hartwig Fischer, the museum’s director, said in an interview that the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May, and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests around the world had “altered the awareness of everybody.” The events made him want to intensify the museum’s work addressing its links with slavery and colonialism, he said. But the legacy of slavery, you can’t ignore. This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors … The second move was the creation of a guided route around the museum called “Collecting and Empire,” with plaques that explain how certain items, like a bark shield from Australia, had made their way into the museum. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience. Exhibitions Love, Life, Death, and Desire: An Installation of the Center’s Collections Damien Hirst’s installation "In and Out of Love (Butterfly Paintings and Ashtrays)" is presented alongside works of historic, modern, and contemporary art. On Friday, the architect, the British Museum and the Nigerian authorities also announced a $4 million archaeology project to excavate the site of the planned museum, and other parts of … Now Sloane is no longer simply celebrated as a natural history collector, but labeled a “slave owner.” The vitrine contains other objects related to Britain’s involvement in the slave trade. Some supporters of the British Museum say it can’t win in this climate. The Pipe of Freedom, 1869, by Thomas Stuart Smith (1813-69). “The British Museum is the kid at school that everybody’s decided to mess with and bully,” said Bonnie Greer, a Chicago-born playwright and journalist, in an email. This week, newspapers and social media have been consumed by a flap over the 1740 song “Rule, Britannia!” which is traditionally performed at the Last Night at the Proms, a concert wrapping up an annual festival of classical music, broadcast on the BBC. Press OK to continue. Exhibitions Love, Life, Death, and Desire: An Installation of the Center’s Collections. Art World Under Its New Director, the British Museum Reveals Plans for a Major Cross-Cultural Overhaul. The British Museum and British Museum Shop use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience, to improve functionality and to make advertising relevant to you and your interests. The British Museum will store millions of historical artefacts in a £65million new home - a move that is expected to make the objects more accessible to the public. Egypt Read more. Desire, love and identity Read the … But not everyone is happy with the changes. A bust of Hans Sloane, a founding father of the museum, was once displayed on a plinth. For more information on how we use cookies and how to manage cookies, please follow the 'Read more' link, otherwise select 'Accept and close'. But the museum has made some more permanent changes, too. This week it was mostly social conservatives who criticized the museum, but in June it was rebuked by social justice advocates when it issued a statement in support of Black Lives Matter demonstrations. The decision to move the bust, which Mr. Fischer first outlined in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, a conservative newspaper, angered some traditionalists. The British Museum has announced plans to help "investigate the history of the Kingdom of Benin", with a grand archaeology mission and new museum. The British Museum shop has a range of unique gifts, replicas, games and more. The Rosetta Stone. The British Museum shop has a range of unique gifts, replicas, games and more. “If we matter that much to you, give it back.”, The lack of diversity among the museum’s senior curatorial staff also came into the spotlight in June, when a BBC interviewer asked Mr. Fischer how many of the museum’s 150 curators were Black. See highlights of this year's exhibitions, including 'Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint' and the infamous emperor 'Nero'. (The plaques stress that most of the items were bought or donated to the museum, not stolen. Visitors in the British Museum’s Egyptian galleries on Thursday. British Museum, London. ), “Our task is to elucidate the history of this institution, and the history of every object in it,” Mr. Fischer said about the alterations. By clicking on any link on this page, you are consenting to our … “This collection is not based on looted objects,” he said. Discover cultures around the world with our free schools learning resources, for children aged 3–18. The patriotic song’s chorus includes the line, “Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.”. Signs in the Great Court of the British Museum welcome back visitors. Greece’s government says the sculptures were stolen from Athens in the 19th century and should be returned. By clicking on any link on this page, you are consenting to our use of cookies. More than 100 of these objects feature within a changing gallery display at the Museum and the entire collection is accessible via the Museum’s Collection online. New exhibition announced – Hokusai: beyond the Great Wave 10 January 2017. Chris Michaels, Head of Digital and Publishing, introduces our refreshed British Museum blog, and discusses the role of the blog as part of our digital strategy. His subject is a man wrapped in a … Become a Member and enjoy a 10% discount at all of the Museum's shops. We use cookies to make our website work more efficiently, to provide you with more personalised services or advertising to you, and to analyse traffic on our website. The British Museum and Ghanaian-born London architect David Adjaye are working with Nigerian organisations to lay the basis for the new Edo Museum of West African Art. “Openness is really at the heart of this.”. Mr. Fischer said the museum had been trying to address its links to colonialism and slavery since before he joined, in 2016, by researching the origins of items in the collection to work out how they had been acquired, and involving communities associated with the artifacts in curatorial decisions. Stay connected and receive all our latest news, online events and ways to visit the Museum from home. The British Museum, in the Bloomsbury area of London, England, is a public institution dedicated to human history, art and culture.Its permanent collection of some eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence, having been widely collected during the era of the British Empire.It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. Maria Morte, 50, said she had read about the bust in a newspaper. “He doesn’t look it.”. Explore the collection See all. People will always complain, he said: “You just have to do the right thing.”. Debates in Britain around the legacies of colonialism and slavery have become increasingly shrill since a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave trader, was torn down in June in Bristol, England, during a Black Lives Matter protest. Join art historian Dr Janina Ramirez for a personal tour of her favourite British Museum objects, available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The treasures are now scattered in museums and private collections around the world. Collection online has been completely redeveloped, making it much easier to find what you want. It allows access to almost four and a half million objects in more than two million records. A British Museum Spotlight Loan: A Ming Emperor’s seat Exhibition; 7 Feb 2020 - 20 Jun 2021; Coming soon International touring exhibitions Browse all international touring exhibitions. British Museum Celebrates Over A Decade Of Collecting Contemporary Art Of The Middle East and North Africa With New Exhibition The exhibition will debut in February 2021. The changes he announced may seem small, but they caused a stir in Britain this week. Explore the Museum online, while we're temporarily closed. Involvement in the slave trade stolen from Athens in the news media Athens. 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