BM Annual Review 2012-13

Last week’s Wednesday morning staff talk was a significant one, with museum director Neil McGregor presenting the Annual Review for 2012-13. You can read the review online here.

Mr McGregor began by highlighting some of the successes of the previous year, including the Pompeii live event, which was used to demonstrate the ways in which the BM is embracing technology to reach out to national and international audiences. He also mentioned some significant acquisitions from the past year including a wonderful Japanese handscroll recording the visit of US Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, and a personal gift of nearly 300 prints from the American artist R B Kitaj.
He went on to highlight the continuing importance of the research being undertaken at the BM and also the World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre (WCEC), which is due to open in 2014. The WCEC will provide the BM with the facility to store all its material, from archaeological fragments to vulnerable organic material, on site, in a world class storage, conservation, research and exhibition facility.
He also mentioned the BM’s extensive programme of loans and touring exhibitions, both national and international and that visitor numbers are up an amazing 30% on last year
To close, the Director pointed to the exciting programme of exhibitions and events for the forthcoming year, including exhibitions on Colombian gold, sex in Japan, and the Vikings, which will be the first exhibition at the WCEC.
Below are a few links to articles in the UK press relevant to the Annual Review:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/5132711e-ddb2-11e2-a756-00144feab7de.html#axzz2XQJLlBfq
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jul/04/british-museum-help-regional-collections
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23050586
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/museums/10141910/British-Museums-Japanese-erotic-art-show-only-for-over-16s.html

Dan