Abstract

This article examines the British Museum’s imperialist attitudes towards classical heritage. Despite considerable pressure from foreign governments, the museum has consistently refused to return art and antiquities that it acquired under the aegis of empire. It is the contention of this article that the British Museum remains an imperialist institution. The current debates over the British Museum’s collections raise profound questions about the relationship between museums and modern nation states and their nationalist claims to ancient heritage. The museum’s inflexible response to repatriation claims also encapsulates the challenges inherent in presenting empire and its legacy to contemporary, post-imperial audiences.

Highlights

  • The British Museum was founded in 1753 as one of the first national, public and secular museum in the world

  • Countries including Greece, Egypt and Nigeria maintain that antiquities belong to the particular nations in which they

  • The British Museum’s specialised interest in classical antiquities began as early as 1772 when the museum acquired a collection of Greek vases belonging to Sir William Hamilton.[6]

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Summary

Introduction

The British Museum was founded in 1753 as one of the first national, public and secular museum in the world. The British Museum’s specialised interest in classical antiquities began as early as 1772 when the museum acquired a collection of Greek vases belonging to Sir William Hamilton.[6] Other notable objects acquired included the first ancient Egyptian mummy donated to the museum in 1756 as well as a number of ethnographic artifacts given to the museum after Captain Cook’s three Pacific voyages (1767-70).

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