Top of wooden goldsmith's box, painted with scenes of Qajar princes hunting and other courtly or historical scenes

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Read our latest press releases, featuring Museum news, acquisitions and exhibition announcements. Or browse our archive. 

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Museum news

Exhibitions

Speeches

Press release archive

2024

December

British Museum updates on progress with its Masterplan
(PDF, 245.77 KB)

November

Speech by Nicholas Cullinan, British Museum Annual Trustees Dinner 2024
(PDF, 157.79 KB)
Speech by George Osborne, British Museum Annual Trustees Dinner 2024
(PDF, 167.35 KB)
British Museum to receive £1bn collection gift from The Sir Percival David Foundation – the largest in UK museum history
(PDF, 239.77 KB)

October

British Museum confirms two major exhibitions for spring 2025
(PDF, 283.49 KB)
Norman Conquest coin hoard acquired for the nation
(PDF, 269.48 KB)
Ancient Sudan: enduring heritage
(PDF, 267.26 KB)
Executive team appointments confirmed
(PDF, 162.95 KB)
The British Museum announces shortlist of five consultant teams to lead the design of a new visitor welcome experience
(PDF, 185.81 KB)

September

Picasso: printmaker
(PDF, 268.26 KB)

August

The British Museum announces shortlist of five architect-led teams for major renovation of its Western Range Galleries
(PDF, 329.56 KB)
Gladiators of Britain
(PDF, 262.71 KB)

July

Hew Locke: what have we here?
(PDF, 246.25 KB)

June

Silk Roads
(PDF, 262.97 KB)

May

Update on the recovery of missing or stolen items
(PDF, 191.61 KB)
Partners announced for fourth year of British Museum's youth-led arts and culture programme
(PDF, 212.85 KB)
British Museum launches international architectural competition
(PDF, 217.88 KB)

March

David Hockney to Cornelia Parker: a rare opportunity to see recent acquisitions of prints and drawings
(PDF, 225.62 KB)
Dr Nicholas Cullinan appointed as new Director of the British Museum
(PDF, 170.26 KB)
British Museum announces collaboration with artist Hew Locke for major new exhibition
(PDF, 232.42 KB)

February

Michelangelo: the last decades
(PDF, 235 KB)
New display reveals recovered gems to public
(PDF, 202.82 KB)

January

British Museum invites charity and cultural partners to help engage young people in arts and culture across the UK
(PDF, 253.23 KB)
Asante regalia to be displayed in Ghana for the first time in 150 years through a significant cultural partnership
(PDF, 296.77 KB)
2022 biggest year for treasure finds as latest exciting discoveries revealed
(PDF, 289.71 KB)
British Museum partners with Horrible Histories for forthcoming exhibition 'Legion: life in the Roman army'
(PDF, 258.84 KB)
A British Museum Touring Exhibition: For the curious and interested
(PDF, 349.96 KB)
British Museum acquires Rembrandt drawing 'A baby sleeping in a cradle' thanks to Arts Council
(PDF, 227.86 KB)

2023

December

British Museum sets out next steps for the Masterplan
(PDF, 216.31 KB)
British Museum announces completion of Independent Review
(PDF, 313.94 KB)

November

Speech by George Osborne, British Museum Annual Trustees Dinner 2023
(PDF, 198.89 KB)
New Trustee appointment: Tracey Emin CBE RA
(PDF, 242.1 KB)
Major donation of art marks American pop art icon Roy Lichtenstein's birth
(PDF, 258.26 KB)
The British Museum dedicates first permanent space to Peruvian and Andean culture
(PDF, 202.99 KB)

October

Burma to Myanmar opening
(PDF, 283.13 KB)
Experience the unexpected from the new British Museum Touring Exhibition
(PDF, 256.59 KB)
Inside the craft of three women silversmiths from Oman
(PDF, 280.55 KB)
British Museum sets out plans to digitise fully the collection
(PDF, 141.46 KB)
British Museum exhibitions and displays 2023–24
(PDF, 290.1 KB)
Legion: life in the Roman army
(PDF, 227.4 KB)

September

Update on the progress of the recovery programme
(PDF, 153.46 KB)
Sir Mark Jones appointed Interim Director of the British Museum
(PDF, 241.07 KB)

August

Announcement from Hartwig Fischer
(PDF, 191.44 KB)
Announcement regarding missing, stolen and damaged items
(PDF, 170 KB)

July

Statement on translation by Yilin Wang
(PDF, 140.76 KB)
Hartwig Fischer to step down as Director of the British Museum in 2024
(PDF, 183.84 KB)
Perilous journeys: reflections on migration
(PDF, 344.41 KB)
Burma to Myanmar
(PDF, 211.46 KB)

June

Public statement on copyright issue linked to the exhibition 'China's hidden century' on Wednesday 21 June
(PDF, 87.72 KB)

April

Luxury and power: Persia to Greece
(PDF, 104.18 KB)
Japan's festival floats: a celebration of summer in Japan
(PDF, 304.64 KB)
British Museum unwraps secrets of ancient Egyptian lizard mummies
(PDF, 962.48 KB)
British Museum brings objects from around the world to the palm of your hand with their new Audio app
(PDF, 219.73 KB)
Contemporary meets historical in an exhibition of new acquisitions at the British Museum
(PDF, 209.93 KB)
British Museum announces free access to its Young Friends scheme
(PDF, 142.64 KB)

February

British Museum announces a world first exhibition on 19th century China
(PDF, 268.13 KB)
Lost Royal Sumerian Palace and Temple discovered in Iraq’s ancient city of Girsu
(PDF, 244.78 KB)
Public statement from Hartwig Fischer in response to planned industrial action by the PCS Union on Friday 17 February
(PDF, 160.29 KB)
Manchester South Asia Gallery launch
(PDF, 198.53 KB)
Public statement from Hartwig Fischer ahead of planned industrial action by the PCS Union from 13-19 February
(PDF, 137.84 KB)

January

Splendid Tudor jewel amongst important Treasure finds reported
(PDF, 122.08 KB)

2022

December

Parthenon press statement
(PDF, 135.35 KB)
Reimagining Tutankhamun 100 years on with new display at the British Museum
(PDF, 147.48 KB)
Major exhibition on luxury in the Persian empire
(PDF, 192.98 KB)

November

Winners of the 2021 Marsh Volunteer Awards announced
(PDF, 124.21 KB)
Speech by George Osborne, British Museum Annual Trustees Dinner 2022
(PDF, 125.83 KB)

October

British Museum to display newly acquired gift of modern and contemporary art
(PDF, 150.03 KB)

September

Middlesbrough Museum reveals secrets of the afterlife in Ancient Egypt
(PDF, 144.37 KB)
Statement from the British Museum on the passing of Her Majesty The Queen
(PDF, 118.12 KB)

August

Bequest by Sir Joseph Hotung one of the most significant in Museum's history
(PDF, 160.79 KB)
British Museum to display newly conserved ancient glass vessels damaged in 2020 Beirut port explosion
(PDF, 208.31 KB)
Legendary Indian instrument to go on display for the first time anywhere at British Museum
(PDF, 136.11 KB)
Partners announced for second year of British Museum youth engagement projects in arts and culture across the UK
(PDF, 180.59 KB)

July

New research reveals one of the earliest archaeological examples of a metastatic cancer
(PDF, 170.6 KB)
Full sun pendant 'Gathering light' tour announced
(PDF, 172.58 KB)
British Museum announces major exhibition on hieroglyphs, 200 years after the language was deciphered
(PDF, 205.25 KB)

June

Pioneering drone technology leads to new discoveries in Iraq
(PDF, 169.99 KB)

May

Display of the first coin portrait of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II to mark Platinum Jubilee
(PDF, 157.34 KB)
British Museum and UK Border Force collaborate to return historic objects to Ukraine
(PDF, 204.93 KB)
The Citi exhibition Feminine power: the divine to the demonic
(PDF, 295.94 KB)

April

Second year of project to engage young people in arts and culture across the UK
(PDF, 232.99 KB)
British Museum opens free display Ukraine: Culture in crisis
(PDF, 145.96 KB)

March

Joint statement from the British Museum and The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Foundation
(PDF, 131.42 KB)
British Museum's world class Rudolfine prints displayed for the first time
(PDF, 175.35 KB)
Greek Revival: simplicity and splendour
(PDF, 230.19 KB)
First exhibition of emerging British artists to go on display at the British Museum
(PDF, 168.14 KB)
British Museum announces first ever exhibition on female spiritual beings through the ages
(PDF, 221.51 KB)

February

'Most important prehistoric discovery in a century' revealed by British Museum and Allen Archaeology
(PDF, 209.32 KB)
British Museum unveils Stonehenge exhibition
(PDF, 208.44 KB)

January

British Museum international touring exhibitions
(PDF, 149.12 KB)
Contemporary women artists of Japan: six stories
(PDF, 145.31 KB)

2021

December

One million records of archaeological finds made by public now recorded
(PDF, 222.94 KB)
First time loan of 'Stonehenge of the Sea' among 430 objects in British Museum's landmark exhibition
(PDF, 215.41 KB)

November

George Osborne's first speech as Chair of the Trustees of the British Museum
(PDF, 121.33 KB)
Sustainability Ethos
(PDF, 128.26 KB)
Largest ever find of gold coins from Anglo-Saxon England
(PDF, 158.19 KB)
Announcement of the winners of the 2020 Marsh Volunteer Awards
(PDF, 149.06 KB)

October

World's oldest map of the stars to go on show in the UK for the first time at the British Museum
(PDF, 206.28 KB)
Spectacular discovery: rare 'Korean' dish turns out to be a 1000-year-old Chinese Song treasure
(PDF, 128.25 KB)
British Museum forthcoming exhibitions 2022
(PDF, 254.57 KB)

September

British Museum and Shropshire Museums to develop new Partnership Gallery
(PDF, 176.19 KB)
Peru's ancient treasures to travel to UK for the first time for major new British Museum exhibition
(PDF, 212.04 KB)

August

British Museum and Sketchfab collaborate for the first time on a touring exhibition
(PDF, 171.65 KB)
Lagos State visit to the British Museum
(PDF, 290.03 KB)

July

British Museum to restore ancient artefacts damaged in 2020 Beirut port explosion, with the support of TEFAF
(PDF, 143.01 KB)
Stunning 3,000-year-old gold pendant to go on public display for the first time
(PDF, 251.99 KB)
Rediscovered Hokusai drawings to go on display for the first time
(PDF, 176.52 KB)

June

British Museum announces 10-year partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre UK
(DOC, 79 KB)
The Board of Trustees of the British Museum appoints George Osborne as their Chair
(DOCX, 148.6 KB)

May

The Embassy of Libya, the British Museum and HMRC collaborate to return a rare, ancient funerary statue to Libya seized at Customs
(DOC, 70.5 KB)
New research reveals some of the earliest examples of extensive human violence in the world, exacerbated by climate change
(DOCX, 60.36 KB)
British Museum unveils entire stained glass window on loan from Canterbury Cathedral
(DOCX, 80.07 KB)

April

New scientific research at the British Museum links ancient Egyptian funeral ritual to mummification
(DOC, 94 KB)
British Museum announces first major UK exhibition on Roman Emperor Nero
(DOCX, 74.01 KB)

March

British Museum reveals exciting rare finds to be acquired by museums across the UK as the latest Treasure report is published
(DOCX, 87.99 KB)
Lampedusa Cross to tour the UK for the first time
(DOCX, 209.73 KB)

February

New project launched to engage youth in arts and culture across the UK
(DOCX, 82.59 KB)

January

Entire 800-year-old stained glass window from Canterbury Cathedral to be centrepiece of British Museum's 'Becket' exhibition
(DOC, 108.5 KB)

2020

December

The British Museum celebrates over a decade of collecting contemporary art of the Middle East and North Africa with a major new exhibition
(DOCX, 66.92 KB)
Garden finds boost numbers of archaeological discoveries recorded during lockdown
(DOCX, 85.09 KB)

November

British Museum forthcoming exhibitions 2021
(DOCX, 149.6 KB)
The Legacy Restoration Trust, Nigeria, the British Museum and Adjaye Associates announce details of major archaeology project
(DOCX, 109.91 KB)
Announcement of the winners of the 2019 Marsh Volunteer Awards
(DOCX, 72.06 KB)
British Museum receives its largest single grant in a decade from Arcadia
(DOCX, 92.52 KB)

October

Surge in demand sees British Museum expand Samsung Virtual Visits for schools
(DOCX, 83.28 KB)
Rare Glazed Tiles to be returned to Uzbekistan following work by the British Museum and Border Force
(DOC, 83.5 KB)

September

The British Museum helps to return rare Sumerian plaque to Iraq
(DOCX, 80.36 KB)
Final group of museums announced for Museum Futures, creating entry level routes into the sector
(PDF, 153.41 KB)
The Citi exhibition 'Arctic: culture and climate'
(PDF, 180.08 KB)
The 'rebellious spirit' of Tantra to be explored for the first time at the British Museum
(PDF, 268.21 KB)
103 'lost' drawings by Japanese artist Hokusai acquired by the British Museum
(PDF, 155.54 KB)

August

Grayson Perry unveils unseen edition of 'Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman' at its 'spiritual home' the British Museum
(DOCX, 63.85 KB)
British Museum to reopen 27 August
(PDF, 170.14 KB)

July

1.5 million archaeological objects have been unearthed by the public, British Museum reveals
(DOCX, 83.43 KB)

June

British Museum adds 5 LGBTQ+ objects to display
(DOCX, 67.64 KB)
Samsung and British Museum release new online learning resources to inspire digital creativity
(DOC, 107.5 KB)

May

British Museum and Border Force crack down on emerging market in faked Middle Eastern antiquities
(DOCX, 74.65 KB)
British Museum brings its ground-breaking Pompeii Live exhibition to YouTube and Facebook
(DOCX, 65.41 KB)
British Museum discovers bitumen for the first time in ancient Nubia
(DOCX, 82.88 KB)

April

British Museum revamps online collection of over 4 million objects
(DOCX, 63.35 KB)

March

New Trustee appointment: Professor Mary Beard
(DOCX, 58.11 KB)
Circulating Artefacts - British Museum-led project launches global platform to counteract looting and trafficking of cultural artefacts
(DOCX, 70.02 KB)
The British Museum sees surge in online visitors as museums across the world close their doors
(DOCX, 17.21 KB)
Edmund de Waal’s library of exiled writers goes on display at the British Museum
(DOCX, 75.32 KB)
Boost in amount of finds discovered by public in another highly successful year
(PDF, 131.48 KB)

February

Rare Sixteenth-century drug jar from Italy acquired by the British Museum through Cultural Gifts Scheme
(DOC, 98 KB)
British Museum acquires internationally significant 3,000-year-old gold pendant, found in Shropshire
(PDF, 183.67 KB)
British Museum’s world-class collection of French prints to go on show for first time in 40 years
(DOC, 92.5 KB)
300th anniversary of Piranesi’s birth marked by exhibition of his work as a draughtsman
(PDF, 208.63 KB)

January

The British Museum and the Art Loss Register help to return important Kushan sculpture to Afghanistan
(DOCX, 71.55 KB)
One of the largest Ming porcelains from the British Museum will go on loan
(DOCX, 70.08 KB)
Tantra at the British Museum press release
(DOC, 98.5 KB)
New discoveries in Iraq to be presented alongside British Museum objects
(DOCX, 78.86 KB)
British Museum announces major exhibition on the Arctic
(DOCX, 70.86 KB)
British Museum saves Nainsukh of Guler’s masterpiece from export
(DOC, 2.4 MB)
International 2020 Press Release
(DOC, 87.5 KB)

2019

December

British Museum acquires rare 1,000-year-old seal on third attempt
(DOCX, 58.52 KB)
2020 programme commemorating the murder of Thomas Becket unveiled
(DOCX, 62.33 KB)
Living with art: Picasso to Celmins
(DOCX, 73.05 KB)
The Asahi Shimbun Displays Disposable? rubbish and us
(DOCX, 64.46 KB)

November

British Museum Year Ahead 2020 Final
(DOCX, 149.8 KB)
Troy press view_for sign off
(DOCX, 80.27 KB)

October

Google Maya Press Release
(DOC, 88 KB)
First ever travel guidebook at the British Museum PRESS RELEASE
(DOC, 86 KB)
Inspired by the East Press Release FINAL
(DOC, 97 KB)

September

Notgeld Press Release final
(DOCX, 57.27 KB)
Nara at the British Museum Press Release
(DOCX, 60.18 KB)
Rossetti British Museum Acquisition Press Release
(DOC, 1.09 MB)
EMKP Press Release Final
(DOC, 77.5 KB)
Sir Stamford Raffles: collecting in Southeast Asia 1811-1824
(PDF, 138.97 KB)
British Museum and Samsung offer 35,000 school pupils the chance to virtually visit the Museum
(DOC, 88 KB)
First exhibition of Kollwitz's work in nearly 25 years comes to London following successful UK tour
(PDF, 148.43 KB)

August

British Museum helps return cuneiform tablets seized by HMRC to Iraq
(DOCX, 53.99 KB)
Contemporary drawings to tour UK in first-time co-curated exhibition
(DOCX, 76.16 KB)
Largest coin hoard of the post-Conquest period found near Somerset
(DOC, 97 KB)

July

Annual Review 2018-19
(DOCX, 63.08 KB)
Inspired by the East: how the Islamic world influenced Western art
(DOC, 96.5 KB)

June

British Museum and Samsung renew partnership for further 5 years
(DOC, 90 KB)
Nara: sacred images from early Japan
(DOCX, 61.15 KB)
The BP exhibition Troy: myth and reality
(DOCX, 80.18 KB)
The Asahi Shimbun Displays Collecting histories: Solomon Islands
(DOCX, 63.33 KB)

May

Queen Victoria's drawings of family life to go on display at the British Museum
(DOC, 86.5 KB)

April

Playing with money: currency and games
(DOC, 86 KB)
Damien Hirst acquisition for the British Museum
(DOCX, 39.14 KB)

March

British Museum helps UK Government return important ancient historical inscription to Iraq
(DOCX, 56.53 KB)
The Antony Griffiths & Judy Rudoe Collection of African textiles allocated to the British Museum under the Cultural Gifts Scheme
(DOCX, 38.85 KB)

February

Rembrandt: thinking on paper
(PDF, 259.67 KB)
300 rare artists' postcards to go on show at the British Museum – the first major museum display of 'overlooked' art form
(DOC, 91.5 KB)
The Asahi Shimbun Displays Feeding history: the politics of food
(DOCX, 60.66 KB)

January

British Museum announces biggest UK exhibition of Munch prints in 45 years
(PDF, 244.57 KB)
The British Museum's forthcoming international exhibitions 2019
(DOC, 87.5 KB)
British Museum launches Santo Domingo Centre of Excellence for Latin American Research
(DOCX, 63.47 KB)
The British Museum embarks on a major programme to help preserve Endangered Material Knowledge
(DOC, 73 KB)
British Museum joins European museums to transform the Egyptian Museum, Cairo
(DOCX, 58.56 KB)

Please contact us for press releases prior to 2019.

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