Stolen vs ‘looted’: What the difference between the two says about the British Museum’s hypocrisy

The British Museum’s latest exhibition, Rediscovering Gems, displays a range of prized ancient Roman and Greek artefacts. The exhibition stemmed from an announcement last year that numerous pieces from the museum’s collection were missing, stolen or damaged. Some of the gems exhibited are among those previously classified as missing.

Hartwig Fischer, the former director of the British Museum who resigned days after the announcement, stated that the museum had tightened its security arrangements and begun working alongside “outside experts” in order to “throw our efforts into the recovery of objects”.

The museum’s uncompromising programme of recovery, begun in August 2023, has involved the Metropolitan Police, international experts, taking legal action and dismissing staff.

On hearing about the stolen artefacts, and subsequent recovery programme, I sensed a whiff of irony that was echoed by others on social media. While the British Museum celebrates recovered items in its new exhibition, it has continuously refused to return historically looted items in its own collection back to countries of origin.

From irony to hypocrisy

Over the past year the British Museum, under increasing pressure, has ratified a new loan agreement which essentially functions as “short-term” restitution.

The first new case of this short-term restitution agreement was announced in January – 15 historical Asante objects are due to be returned to the Asante Kingdom in Ghana in May. The objects will remain...

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