The British Museum has started recruiting for a new director to lead it through “a period of historic rejuvenation and development”.
The London-based institution is looking for its next director after former director Hartwig Fischer stepped down following the theft of around 2,000 artefacts. Mark Jones is currently serving as the museum’s interim director.
The role, which has a salary of £215,841, is being advertised through Saxton Bampfylde. The closing date for applications is 26 January.
In the recruitment pack, British Museum chair George Osborne said: “The British Museum has had a tough year. We have been under intense scrutiny following the discovery of thefts from our collection, and we are also at the centre of global conversations about the validity of so called ‘universal museums’.
“But as we turn into 2024 the museum is also feeling remarkably strong and ready for change… We are looking for someone who has a vision for the future of the British Museum and its purpose as a national and a global museum in the 21st century.”
The British Museum says it is looking for a “confident and ambitious leader” who can run a large and complex organisation, oversee significant capital projects, and direct a team of staff.
Osborne added, “I would encourage anyone who thinks they have the knowledge, skills, energy, and temperament to run one of the world’s greatest museums to apply.”
Museum “under intense scrutiny”
In December, the British Museum announced the completion of an independent review of security, which recommends that the museum finishes the documentation and digitisation of its entire collection.
“The British Museum was the victim of thefts over a long period, and we apologise again that this was allowed to happen,” said Osborne.
Later, the institution announced a 10-year, £50 million deal with energy giant BP to help fund its renovation project despite opposition from climate campaigners.
Images courtesy of the British Museum
