The British Museum has signed a 10-year deal with energy giant BP who will contribute £50 million towards its ambitious redevelopment plans.
The museum's masterplan, described as making the Bloomsbury institution “fit for the 21st century”, includes designs for a new Energy Centre intended to phase out its use of fossil fuels and an international competition to find an architect to redevelop around 7,500 square metres of existing gallery space.
A museum spokesman said it intended to remain open while the work is going on with the redevelopment concentrating on the building's Western Range which is home to its collections from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome including the contested Parthenon Sculptures.
The sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, are part of friezes that adorned the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple on the Acropolis.
Their ownership has long been contested by the Greek government and the museum is currently negotiating a deal that could see them displayed in Greece.
The redevelopment work is said to include "the introduction of contemporary architecture and innovative gallery displays, alongside sensitivity towards the need to respect and restore the highly significant and celebrated listed buildings on the site."
This comes after the first stage of the plan which is the opening of its Archaeological Research facility next June in the Thames Valley which will be home to items including nails from the Sutton Hoo ship and 5,000 year-old tools made from antlers complete with ancient fingerprints.
Charlie Mayfield, who chairs 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 over 200 years old and in urgent need of refurbishment. That’s why the masterplan is so essential – and it’s exciting to be moving forward with our plans.
“Next year we will begin the process of completely overhauling our outdated energy infrastructure and replacing it with state of the art facilities that will dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, and we will begin a global search amongst the leading architects to find a partner to help us reimagine the famous Western Range. There’s so much to look forward to in 2024 and we are grateful to all our partners for their support.”
Louise Kingham, Senior Vice President Europe and UK Country Chair for BP, said the firm was "proud to be a long-term partner to this important British institution and play our part in its future transformation – whilst helping to ensure that this iconic cultural venue remains freely accessible to all".
