In addition to the enormous human cost of the Israel-Gaza war, cultural heritage has been heavily impacted by the conflict. At least 43 cultural heritage sites in Gaza have been damaged since the war began on 7 October 2023, Unesco has verified. Although on-the-ground assessments are currently impossible, the UN agency is conducting preliminary damage assessments for cultural properties through remote monitoring based on satellite imagery and analysis. As of 8 April 2024, Unesco has verified damage to 43 sites – 10 religious sites, 24 buildings of historical and/or artistic inte ..read more

Specific funding will be made available to repair Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd – National Museum Cardiff after warnings it could close, the Welsh culture secretary has told the Senedd this week. Lesley Griffiths, who was appointed culture secretary last month, was responding to questions on the future of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales after the institution’s chief executive, Jane Richardson, told of the severe challenges it was facing following a £3m cut to its grant-in-aid. These include the possible closure of one of the institution’s seven sites, Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd  ..read more

The chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales has warned that the institution is facing an “extremely difficult” situation following a £3m cut to its grant-in-aid. The institution is undergoing a sweeping restructure as it grapples with the funding cut alongside a £1.5m year-on-year funding deficit. Richardson told the BBC’s Sunday Supplement that the institution had been “under double pressure” due to the scale and timing of the cut. She said the institution, which manages seven sites across Wales, may be forced to close sites if it faced any further cuts, and warned that the national ..read more

Roly Keating has confirmed he still step down as chief executive of the British Library in April next year. He took up the role in 2012 and previously worked at the BBC as a programme-maker and broadcasting executive. The library’s board has begun the recruiting for his successor. “When I took on this role in 2012 it was always my hope to serve for 12 years and I will reach that milestone in September this year,” Keating said in a statement. “Being at the helm of the British Library has been – and continues to be – the greatest privilege of my life. “The years I have served here have seen grea ..read more

Tare has launched a new initiative to bring more works by Indigenous artists into its collection with a four-year commitment from AKO Foundation to fund acquisitions from Sámi and Inuit art from Northern Europe. Similar projects to research, collect and display the work of artists from other Indigenous communities in South Asia, Oceania and the Americas will follow. Tate said in a statement that the initiative will build on recent acquisitions and custodianship agreements, to create a step-change in the number of contemporary artists from Indigenous communities around the world. The first work ..read more

Hull Maritime Museum’s reserve collection of more than 45,000 objects is to be moved to a new open-access storage facility. Simpsons of York has been appointed as the main contractor for a £12m refurbishment of the museum, which aims to reveal more of its Victorian architecture as well as improve access and visitor facilities. It is aiming to complete transform the Dock Office Chambers building next to the museum into the bespoke centre this summer. The building dates from the 1890s and was previously used as office space, but will be reconfigured to house the collections and allow research an ..read more

London’s Design Museum has become the first independent museum to be granted Independent Research Organisation (IRO) status. Other cultural institutions to have received this accreditation include the Science Museum, Tate and the Victoria and Albert Museum. IRO status is awarded to by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) on behalf of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).  Design Museum director Tim Marlow said: “To be the first independent museum to receive IRO status signifies the museum’s evolving position in the cultural landscape. We have always been a place where the range an ..read more

Nominations are open for the Outstanding Museum Practice Award 2024. The prize is overseen by the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (Cimam), an affiliated organisation of the International Council of Museums. Launched in 2021, the award is dedicated to promoting excellence in innovation in modern and contemporary art museums, and encouraging public accessibility, exchange and sustainability within the sector. The prize aims to give greater visibility to practices that, independent of scale and level of resources, stand out in terms of their relevance and connect ..read more

Nine University of Cambridge museums and collections have been awarded £15m by the higher education funding body, Research England. The award, from the Higher Education Museums, Galleries and Collections (HEMG) funding stream, will provide £3m a year over the next five years to support collections-based research. The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences has rejoined the HEMG portfolio and will receive £210,000 a year. Director Liz Hide said: “I’m delighted that Research England has recognised the strength of the Sedgwick’s collections and their importance to the UK and international research ..read more

Museums in the UK are invited to take part in an international programme to mark the millennium of the birth of William the Conqueror in 2027. Organised by the Normandy Region in France, the culture and tourism programme will span countries with shared Norman heritage, including the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, southern Italy and Sicily. It intends to celebrate the millennium through exhibitions, educational programmes, tourism trails and live performances. The programme is supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which issued a joint letter this week signed by Her ..read more