Sustainability is at the heart of Lina Ghotmeh's design.
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The British Museum has announced plans to redevelop The Western Range of the institution.
Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh will lead the redesign of the Western Range, as the museum attempts to rebrand.
Ghotmeh was selected by the public via the Rethinking the British Museum exhibition, which closes this weekend. The exhibition asked the public to choose their favourite team of architects to head up the project.
But the exhibition raises some unanswered questions. Namely, what will happen to the artefacts on display in the Range? Will the Parthenon Sculptures be packed away into storage, or does this present an opportunity for restituti
Pressure on the Museum to return the artefacts to Greece has been building. Sir Keir Starmer met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis back in December to discuss their repatriation, 200 years after they were taken from Athens.
Redevelopment an opportunity to ‘demonstrate what a museum this century could be’
Professor Leon Wainwright, author of Timed out: Art and the Transnational Caribbean, a book exploring the global geographies of art, told City London News that “it’s become very difficult to encounter the museum’s collections in any sort of innocent way nowadays.”
He thinks the redevelopment is an “opportunity to demonstrate what a museum in this century could be,” but warns that it should not be presented as a “reconceptualisation” of the museum if it’s actually about the “fabric” of the building.
Visitors differ on future of museum artefcacts
Outside the British Museum, one visitor said that, in the future, possessions should stay in the country they belong to.
“But what’s done is done, so what’s already in the museum should stay there.”
Visitors outside the British Museum had different opinions on the future of antiquities in the museum. CREDIT: Lucy Knollys
A pair of American tourists had a different take.
“I’m totally in favour of taking antiquities and actually giving them back to wherever they’re taken from.”
“It’s about context right, whatever time those objects were taken from those countries was in the context of the relationships at that time, and all of that’s changed and everybody should have what’s theirs.”
One woman brought up the Benin Bronzes. The British Museum faces renewed pressure to return these Nigerian artefacts after the Netherlands promised to return 100 of its bronzes last week.
One woman told City London News she would “love to see” the Benin Bronzes returned.
The woman said:
“Some of the objects I do have an opinion on are from West Africa, to be precise the Benin Kingdom.”
“I would love to see those objects returned.”
“We see the kingship, the monarchy, as god on earth, and all those objects are very closely related to how people lead their lives, still to this very day.”
City London News has approached the British Museum for comment on what they will do with the Western Range collection during and after the development, but we are yet to hear back.
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HeadlineBritish Museum announces winning architect for redevelopment
Short HeadlineBritish Museum announces architect for redevelopment
StandfirstLebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh will lead the redesign of the Western Range, as the Museum attempts to rebrand.
The British Museum has announced plans to redevelop The Western Range of the institution.
Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh will lead the redesign of the Western Range, as the museum attempts to rebrand.
Ghotmeh was selected by the public via the Rethinking the British Museum exhibition, which closes this weekend. The exhibition asked the public to choose their favourite team of architects to head up the project.
But the exhibition raises some unanswered questions. Namely, what will happen to the artefacts on display in the Range? Will the Parthenon Sculptures be packed away into storage, or does this present an opportunity for restituti
Pressure on the Museum to return the artefacts to Greece has been building. Sir Keir Starmer met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis back in December to discuss their repatriation, 200 years after they were taken from Athens.
Redevelopment an opportunity to ‘demonstrate what a museum this century could be’
Professor Leon Wainwright, author of Timed out: Art and the Transnational Caribbean, a book exploring the global geographies of art, told City London News that “it’s become very difficult to encounter the museum’s collections in any sort of innocent way nowadays.”
He thinks the redevelopment is an “opportunity to demonstrate what a museum in this century could be,” but warns that it should not be presented as a “reconceptualisation” of the museum if it’s actually about the “fabric” of the building.
Visitors differ on future of museum artefcacts
Outside the British Museum, one visitor said that, in the future, possessions should stay in the country they belong to.
“But what’s done is done, so what’s already in the museum should stay there.”
Visitors outside the British Museum had different opinions on the future of antiquities in the museum. CREDIT: Lucy Knollys
A pair of American tourists had a different take.
“I’m totally in favour of taking antiquities and actually giving them back to wherever they’re taken from.”
“It’s about context right, whatever time those objects were taken from those countries was in the context of the relationships at that time, and all of that’s changed and everybody should have what’s theirs.”
One woman brought up the Benin Bronzes. The British Museum faces renewed pressure to return these Nigerian artefacts after the Netherlands promised to return 100 of its bronzes last week.
One woman told City London News she would “love to see” the Benin Bronzes returned.
The woman said:
“Some of the objects I do have an opinion on are from West Africa, to be precise the Benin Kingdom.”
“I would love to see those objects returned.”
“We see the kingship, the monarchy, as god on earth, and all those objects are very closely related to how people lead their lives, still to this very day.”
City London News has approached the British Museum for comment on what they will do with the Western Range collection during and after the development, but we are yet to hear back.
