Dr Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum, has said he will not add politically correct labels to exhibits (The Telegraph).
In March last year to take the helm at the museum, the 46-year-old curator and art historian left his post as director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG).
Cullinan’s appointment comes amid pressure on the museum, recently embarrassed by the theft of 1,500 collection items, to repatriate contested artefacts and sever ties with fossil fuel companies.
Notably, other institutions have started warning visitors that what they are viewing has colonial links.
For instance, in January, the Tate Modern added warnings about “violence and dead bodies” to a puppet show recreation of the Crusades.
Similarly, Tate Britain filled its galleries with paintings linked to slavery, removing prized national artworks, in a rehang pitched as a “more inclusive narration of British art and history”.
In April, the Fitzwilliam Museum, added a note to an exhibition about the countryside warning that such scenery might evoke “dark nationalist feelings”.
Later that month, it was reported that the British Library would “establish a comprehensive glossary of problematic and inclusive terminology” in the “culturally sensitive material” it holds.
Recognising a fraught road ahead, Dr Cullinan has described the impending overhaul of operations as the “biggest transformation of any museum in the world.” The museum will rethink the best way to display and interpret collections.
Asked if this would include imposing politically correct labelling of exhibits, Dr Cullinan told The Times: “No. What I mean is making sure our scholarship is up to date, not conforming to a particular sort of political agenda.”
In 2015, Dr Cullinan became the NPG’s second-youngest ever director, overseeing a major £41 million regeneration. During his time at the gallery, Dr Cullinan became embroiled in a row over cultural institutions and fossil fuel funding, issues which has also plagued the British Museum.
In 2022, Dr Cullinan oversaw the NPG cutting ties with BP, which had sponsored its portrait award for more than 30 years.
Recently, The British Museum entered a “new multi-year partnership” with BP which will bring in £50m over 10 years. However, it has provoked a backlash from climate activists.
Chris Garrard, a co-director of the campaign group Culture Unstained, described the deal as “astonishingly out of touch” and “completely indefensible”.
He added: “The only way you can sign up to a new sponsorship deal with a planet-wrecking fossil fuel company in 2023 is by burying your head in the sand, pretending the climate crisis isn’t happening and ignoring the almost complete rejection of fossil fuel funding by the cultural sector in recent years.”
Responding to the criticism of controversial donors, Dr Cullinan said: “I think you have to have good, clear reasons for turning down money that would help to keep the British Museum free to the public.”
He added that the criteria for allowing donations rested on considerations over reputational damage and whether money was acquired legally.
Dr Cullinan had previously told The Times: “I think you would be hard pressed to find any bank or law firm that didn’t have investments [in energy] so I think we just have to be careful because fundraising has always been about turning private wealth into public good and doing that while also acting in the public interest.”
“What you don’t want to do is start occupying that position of being an activist because it also puts off other people wanting to support museums.”
Dr Cullinan will be navigating growing calls for items such as the Elgin marbles and Benin bronzes to be repatriated. He has emphasised that more people see the British Museum’s objects in exhibitions on tour than in the museum itself.
Dr Cullinan takes over from interim director, Sir Mark Jones. He had stepped in when director Dr Hartwig Fischer resigned over allegations the museum’s leadership had ignored warnings that an insider was selling artefacts.
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