Comment
Museums must rethink how they use their endowments – or they’ll struggle to rebuild after this crisis
Cultural institutions are hesitant to dip into their endowment funds to help them through the current crisis – but are they jeopardising future donations in not doing so?
The Royal College of Physicians’ plan to sell its rare books would be a serious medical error
A proposal to sell off ‘non-medical’ books in the institution’s library takes too narrow a view of the history of medicine
School visits to museums are vital – so let’s hope they can restart soon
Though inevitable, the suspension of school visits this year is a great loss – and a reminder of how important children are to the future of museums
Have corporate art collections had their day?
The financial impact of Covid-19 forced British Airways to sell some of its most valuable art over the summer. Will other businesses follow suit?
In defence of progressive deaccessioning
A recent spate of high-profile sales has reignited debates around deaccessioning and diversification
Is e-commerce the future for museum shops?
With far fewer in-person visitors exiting through the gift shop, institutions must find new ways to mitigate their losses
Has the British Museum finally found its voice?
With new labels for some of its most contested objects the museum is engaging in an important conversation – but has it got the tone wrong?
‘Setting people against objects makes for a grim discussion’
Museums face difficult financial choices, but there has to be a better way forward than the pitting of staff against permanent collections
The culture secretary has no business threatening museums
Oliver Dowden’s recent letter to museums about contested heritage is a clear breach of the ‘arms-length’ principle
In praise of Ryoji Koie, the enfant terrible of Japanese ceramics
The ceramic artist, who has died at the age of 82, took a playful and provocative approach to pottery
Enterprising spirit – how Terence Conran built his design empire
From his first Habitat shop on the Fulham Road to the Design Museum in Kensington – a celebration of the late designer’s many achievements
Extra murals – on the discovery of medieval wall paintings on Torcello
Fragments of ninth-century frescoes uncovered during conservation shed new light on faith and power in the Venetian lagoon
‘Where are the posters to inform and persuade us in a pandemic?’
Posters are a powerful tool in clear and consistent public health-messaging – so why aren’t we seeing more of them?
A threatened mural in Oldham illuminates a key moment in British art
George Mayer-Marton was an accomplished, influential émigré artist – and his Crucifixion for the Church of the Holy Rosary in Oldham must be protected
Amid all the talk of reopening, let’s not forget volunteer-run museums
Volunteer-run museums play a vital role in the UK’s cultural landscape – and, as they cautiously reopen, may mean more to their visitors than ever
Could museums have done more to protect their employees?
On both sides of the Atlantic, museums are laying off staff in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Gareth Harris and Matt Stromberg consider whether bad decisions have made the situation worse
In praise of organs
Historic organs are appreciated as heritage assets in continental Europe – but in the UK they deserve better protection
What does the pandemic mean for the future of performance art?
While live art faces severe challenges in the months ahead, it is also uniquely placed to reflect on new social realities
‘An unparalleled talent’ – a tribute to Delphine Levy (1969–2020)
The founding director of Paris Musées worked indefatigably to serve her ideal of culture as a public good
When video art meets the music video
Black artists such as Jacolby Satterwhite and Arthur Jafa have made the most of the freedom – and mass audience – music videos can offer
Ground control – how Bronze Age builders reshaped the landscape
A pit circle identified near Stonehenge helps us understand how prehistoric cultures saw themselves in the world
‘Canaletto makes me realise how much I have missed being in a crowd’ – in search of company at the National Gallery
What is it like to look at paintings in the flesh after four months of not seeing any art – and hardly any people – at all?
‘New signage is a small price to pay for throwing open the doors’ – on reopening the V&A
Lockdown may have allowed the museum to fast-forward renovations, but it has also confirmed that the galleries are nothing without the public
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