British Museum director won't cave to 'woke' as he rules out politically correct labels

The British Museum has a caller dirct (Image: Getty)

The caller manager of the British Museum has reportedly vowed that helium volition not pander to immoderate governmental docket -  and ruled retired adding 'politically close labels' to exhibits. 

It comes amid claims that immoderate museums person "gone woke" by adding signs that explicate immoderate exhibits are linked to colonialism.  The Tate Britain, for example, has added labels to immoderate works that item ties to racism, colonialism and the enslaved trade.

However, Dr Nicholas Cullinan has reportedly denied that the British Museum volition beryllium pursuing suit, aft helium was appointed its director.  Dr Cullinan, who was antecedently the manager of the National Portrait Gallery, took implicit astatine the British Museum this summer.

Dr Nicholas Cullinan is the caller dircetor astatine the British Museum (Image: Getty)

The museum's erstwhile director, Hartwig Fischer,  stepped down from his £240,000 a twelvemonth relation with contiguous effect aft making 'misjudged' comments astir thefts from the British Museum. Mr Fischer expressed regret astatine his handling of the probe into the theft oregon demolition of hundreds of items from the museum. 

Then, earlier this year, interim caput Sir Mark Jones recovered himself having to support the museum's large caller accumulation against claims it featured  “unrelenting fascist imagery and sexism”.  The amusement Legion was billed arsenic offering an penetration into beingness successful the Roman Army 2,000 years agone and opened to rave reviews successful February.

Anti-fossil-fuel campaigners person besides targeted the depository aft it accepted a £50 cardinal donation from BP to money its translation masterplan. And the debate astir whether the depository should clasp the Elgin Marbles and different “contested” artefacts continues to rumble on.

The enactment implicit the Elgin marbles rumbles connected (Image: Getty)

However, successful a caller interview, Dr Cullinan seemed undeterred by these past controversies. He said helium "didn't hesitate" to judge the relation of director.  

Dr Cullinan besides told The Times that a "giant restoration project"  astatine the depository was an accidental to "rethink however we navigate visitors circular the gathering and champion show and construe the collection”.

The Times asked if this meant the "sort of hyper-politically close labelling of exhibits we’ve seen elsewhere, notably astatine Tate Britain". Dr Cullinan reassured readers that it did not.

He said: "No. What I mean is making definite our assistance is up to date, not conforming to a peculiar benignant of governmental agenda.”

The Benin bronzes are besides arguable (Image: Getty)

Express.co.uk has contacted the British Museum for comment.  

Dr Cullinan besides side-stepped questions astir the  Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes, suggesting this was a determination that would beryllium made by politicians.   He said that the 1963 British Museum Act prevents the depository from disposing of thing successful its collection. 

Instead, helium said moving "in concern with different museums circular the satellite to lend oregon speech items" was the "more absorbing aspect".   He pointed retired that acold much radical spot the British Museum's objects successful exhibitions extracurricular the depository than sojourn the depository itself.