British Museum director Hartwig Fischer resigns after theft scandal
After seven years in his role, Hartwig Fischer, the first non-British director of the British Museum since 1866, has stepped down amid various controversies, including the dispute over the Elgin Marbles and calls to terminate BP sponsorship. His resignation comes in the wake of a theft scandal involving curator Peter John Higgs, who reportedly sold around 1,500 stolen artifacts on eBay. Although Fischer was aware of the issue since 2021, he failed to respond adequately. He admitted the museum's poor handling of warnings from that year. Fischer will resign once interim leadership is established. Mark Jones has been appointed as interim director, with a new successor expected by autumn. Museum chair George Osborne has committed to rebuilding trust.
Key facts
- Hartwig Fischer resigned as director of the British Museum after seven years.
- He was the first non-British director of the British Museum since 1866.
- Approximately 1,500 artifacts were stolen from the permanent collection.
- The alleged thief is curator Peter John Higgs, who worked at the museum for 30 years.
- Fischer was reportedly aware of the thefts since 2021 but did not take sufficient action.
- The museum faces ongoing controversy over the Elgin Marbles and BP sponsorship.
- Mark Jones, former director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, is interim director.
- A successor will be selected in autumn 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Hartwig Fischer
- Peter John Higgs
- Mark Jones
- George Osborne
Institutions
- British Museum
- British Petroleum
- Victoria & Albert Museum
- Guardian
- Artribune
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Hamburg
- Germany
- Greece