Inside the 'British Met Gala': What It Is, Who's Invited, Where It's Held and Why It Matters

British Museum to host an exclusive fundraising ball on 18 October 2025, aiming to match the scale of the Met Gala.

A major new cultural event will take place in London on 18 October 2025, as the British Museum hosts its first fundraising ball; an exclusive, invite-only affair with ambitions to match the prestige and impact of New York's Met Gala.

The upcoming event will not be open to the public, and the guest list is being kept private. It is already being described by organisers as a landmark moment in the city's cultural calendar. The ball will gather prominent figures from politics, business, entertainment, sport and the arts.