#british-museum

#british-museum

The first giraffes to arrive in London were not live, but stuffed. The first, a young specimen, came in the 1770s and from the 1810s it was dramatically displayed with two others at the top of the stairs of Montagu House, where the museum was then based. The British Museum then also covered natural history, which was later hived off to a separate institution in South Kensington, which opened in 1881.

For me October has always been one of the most exciting times to be in London. The Frieze art fair draws artists, collectors and curators from around the world, not only to see great art, but to experience London at its best. It reminds me why London is so special: it is a city where different ideas, people and cultures can come together from around the globe to create something truly unique.

The young Hawaiian King ascended to the throne in 1819 at the age of 22. In 1824, his court set sail for London to pay a visit to King George IV, arriving in May of that year. A notable curiosity in London, his entourage attracted a lot of attention as he travelled around, and he included a visit to the British Museum - the first record of Native Hawaiian aliʻi (chiefs and royals) at the Museum. However, while in London, the Hawaiian court had caught measles, to which they had no immunity. Both the King and Queen died from the disease while in London, and were later returned to Hawaiʻi to be buried in their homeland.

The British Museum, with 6.5 million visitors in 2024, has become the most popular free attraction in England, reflecting a notable increase in interest.

Fabrics reflect their origins, but wartime shapes their cultural significance. Afghan war rugs illustrate a blend of tradition and current events, evolving from displacement and conflict.

If it were to go ahead, a loan would helpfully sidestep the issue of ownership, as while museums can't usually dispose of items, the 2022 Charities Act allows such disposals where there is a moral obligation to do so.

"We have been notified by colleagues at the Metropolitan Police that a coin, believed to be part of the Herefordshire Hoard, has surfaced for sale in Croydon."

A Guy Called Gerald, Anna Wall, and the new collaboration NIGHT manoeuvres will provide a vibrant electronic soundtrack at this unique museum event, showcasing music's cultural importance.

Many of the objects are rarely lent due to their great age and fragility. They reveal the ability and dexterity of the artisan in materializing ideas.