Former Chancellor and Interim Director to Appear Before Committee in Wake of British Museum Thefts
The former chancellor, who serves as chairman of the British Museum trustees, and Sir Mark Jones, interim director of the institution, are set to testify before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS) this Wednesday. The committee session will primarily focus on the impact of the recent thefts of thousands of items on the museum’s reputation and finances.
During the session, MPs may question the witnesses about efforts being made to recover the stolen items, the potential damage to the museum’s reputation, and the future relationships with other institutions that may have been affected. Later in the day, the committee will also address the wider impact on the heritage sector.
Maria Balshaw, chairwoman of the National Museums’ Directors Council (NMDC) and director of the Tate art museums and galleries, and Lord Parkinson, parliamentary under-secretary of state for arts and heritage, will also be present at the committee hearing.
In August, it was revealed that the British Museum had experienced thefts, along with cases of items being lost or damaged. Former chancellor George Osborne stated that approximately 2,000 items were missing, some of which had been recovered. He also suggested that the lack of a comprehensive catalogue and “groupthink” within the museum may have contributed to the belief that treasures had not been taken.
The British Museum has taken action by terminating the contract of an unnamed staff member and pursuing legal action. The thefts are believed to have occurred over a significant period of time before 2023.
Former director Hartwig Fischer, who announced his departure in July, expressed frustration and stated that the person who raised concerns about missing items did not provide further details. However, author and antiquities dealer Ittai Gradel disputed Fischer’s comments, calling them a “outright lie.”
Following these events, Fischer resigned, and Sir Mark Jones, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), assumed the position of interim director in early September. Since then, the British Museum has announced the return of 60 items and the identification of 300 more for imminent return. Images of similar classical Greek and Roman gems and jewellery have been released to aid in the recovery of missing objects.
An international panel of experts, including representatives from the Art Loss Register and the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art, has been assembled to facilitate the recovery of the stolen items. Former British Museum trustee Sir Nigel Boardman and Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi are leading an independent review into the circumstances surrounding the thefts.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police is conducting an ongoing investigation into the thefts, although no arrests have been made thus far.
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