British Museum strikes £50 million deal with BP

So much for the end of BP, British Petroleum’s sponsorship of the British Museum. Or a new beginning after the end, if you will. The partnership between the oil giant and the London museum is not dead, contrary to what one might have thought in June, when the museum let the Guardian know, albeit without an official statement, that after the expiration of the last five-year contract linking the museum to the company (a contract that ended last February), there would be no more BP-sponsored exhibitions or activities. And everyone, including us, spoke of a victory for the environmentalists: it really seemed that after 27 years the sponsorship had ended. Far from it: here comes 50 million pounds, or 57 million euros, over 10 years through a newly signed long-term partnership.

The strong endowment is being used to finance the museum’s new masterplan , which includes restorations, renovations, and upgrades, all work during which the will remain open to the public. The completion of the first phase of the masterplan will be marked by the official opening of the British Museum’s new archaeological research facility on June 7, 2024. It will be called BM_ARC and will house ancient objects from all over the world. The museum went on to say that the resources will also be used to refurbish energy systems with the phasing out of fossil fuel use inside the museum, replacing it with low-carbon technologies. This will result in an estimated net annual savings of 1,700 tons of CO² compared to current use, enabling the British Museum to become more sustainable in the coming years. The British government, the museum notes, has pledged financial support for the creation of the new energy center. Plans have also been announced for an international architectural competition for the redevelopment of approximately 7,500 m2 of exhibition space, with bids to open in spring 2024. Finally, the collaboration with BP will also serve “to implement plans to maintain public access for generations to come,” the British announced, adding that “the Museum is very grateful for BP’s support at this early stage of the Masterplan.”

Charlie Mayfield, chair of the British Museum’s Masterplan Committee, said, “The British Museum is one of the largest and most visited cultural institutions in the world, but some of its buildings are more than 200 years old and are in urgent need of refurbishment. That is why the Masterplan is so essential and it is exciting to move forward with our plans. Next year we will begin the process of completely overhauling our aging energy infrastructure and replacing it with state-of-the-art facilities that will dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, and we will begin a global search among leading architects to find a partner to help us reimagine the famous Western Range. There is so much to look forward to in 2024 and we are grateful to all our partners for their support.”

Louise Kingham, BP’s Senior Vice President for Europe and UK Country Chair, said, “The British Museum provides a window on the world for the millions of people who walk through its doors each year. As a company that has made Britain its home for more than a century, we are proud to be a long-term partner of this important British institution and to play our part in its future transformation, while helping to ensure that this iconic cultural venue remains freely accessible to all.”

How will environmental groups take it? Probably not well: the British, in past years, has often been the subject of harsh protests precisely because of its partnership with BP, which had been going on continuously since 1996. And which is now beginning again.

British Museum strikes £50 million deal with BP

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