Articles

British Museum Boss Defends Crackdown on Theft
Article date: Thursday, August 24, 2023

British Museum Boss Defends Crackdown on Theft

The British Museum has launched an independent review of security after items from the collection were found to be missing, stolen or damaged. A member of staff has been dismissed, and the Museum will now be taking legal action against the individual. The matter is also under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police.

Acute Financial Crisis Hits the Cobra Museum Amstelveen, Netherlands
Article date: Thursday, August 24, 2023

Acute Financial Crisis Hits the Cobra Museum Amstelveen, Netherlands

The Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen is facing severe financial problems. The situation is more concerning than what the museum previously conveyed to the city council, according to a letter from the mayor and aldermen. There is said to be an "acute, worrying financial situation".

Los Angeles County Museum Surpasses $750 Million Campaign Fundraising Goal
Article date: Thursday, August 24, 2023

Los Angeles County Museum Surpasses $750 Million Campaign Fundraising Goal

Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, announced that the Building LACMA campaign has reached and exceeded its fundraising goal of $750 million.

The UK Museums Association Statement on the British Museum Theft
Article date: Thursday, August 24, 2023

The UK Museums Association Statement on the British Museum Theft

The recent theft of a substantial number of items from the British Museum has focused attention on the security of our collections and has led to speculation that theft by members of staff is a widespread but hidden problem in museums.

The United States Repatriates Cultural Artifacts to Mexico
Article date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

The United States Repatriates Cultural Artifacts to Mexico

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Homeland Security Investigations special agents repatriated cultural artifacts, some dating back to 900 B.C., to the Government of Mexico.

Graphic Design in the Middle Ages
Article date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Graphic Design in the Middle Ages

The J. Paul Getty Museum presents Graphic Design in the Middle Ages, an exhibition that reveals the ways that design influenced the making, reading, and interpretation of medieval books. Drawn primarily from the Getty Museum’s Manuscripts collection, the exhibition goes on view at the Getty Center from August 29, 2023 through January 28, 2024.

A Golden Age for Heritage as Historic Batman and Robin, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘X-Men’ Covers Take a Spin
Article date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

A Golden Age for Heritage as Historic Batman and Robin, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘X-Men’ Covers Take a Spin

A ‘perfect’ Flash Gordon strip from 1939 and a Frank Frazetta Death Dealer join a very rare mint copy of The Avengers No. 4 in sweeping Comics & Comic Art auction.

Bonnie Prince Charlie: Recreation Shows Face of Jacobite Rising
Article date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Bonnie Prince Charlie: Recreation Shows Face of Jacobite Rising

He is one of Scotland’s most famous historical figures but more than 200 years after he died, Bonnie Prince Charlie has been given a new lease of life by experts at the University of Dundee.

Bedroom Used by Slaves Unearthed at Pompeii
Article date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Bedroom Used by Slaves Unearthed at Pompeii

A small bedroom, that was most likely used by slaves nearly 2,000 years ago, has been unearthed in a Roman villa near Pompeii. The room's location is within the Civita Giuliana villa, situated approximately 600 metres north of Pompeii's walls.

AI-Generated Art cannot be Copyrighted, rules a US Federal Judge
Article date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

AI-Generated Art cannot be Copyrighted, rules a US Federal Judge

The decision emerged from Stephen Thaler’s bid for AI-generated works’ copyright protection and emphasizes the importance of human authorship for copyright eligibility.

Close to 2,000' Items Worth 'Millions' stolen from British Museum
Article date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Close to 2,000' Items Worth 'Millions' stolen from British Museum

The number of stolen artefacts from the British Museum is “closer to 2,000” with the total value of missing pieces thought to run into “millions of pounds”, reports have said. Last week the British Museum announced that items from its collection were found to be “missing, stolen or damaged” and an unnamed member of staff has been sacked. Legal action is being taken by the museum against the individual and police are investigating but no arrests have been made.

 'Iceman' Ötzi Is Not Who We Thought He Was
Article date: Monday, August 21, 2023

'Iceman' Ötzi Is Not Who We Thought He Was

Ötzi's genome was decoded for the first time more than ten years ago. This was also the first time the genome of a mummy had been sequenced. The results provided important insights into the genetic makeup of prehistoric Europeans. Advances in sequencing technology have now enabled a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Eurac Research to reconstruct Ötzi’s genome more accurately.

Article date: Thursday, August 17, 2023

British Museum Worker Fired over Missing Treasures

The British Museum has launched an independent review of security after items from the collection were found to be missing, stolen or damaged. A member of staff has been dismissed, and the Museum will now be taking legal action against the individual. The matter is also under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police.

Iranian Born Photographer Wins International Portrait Photographer of the Year for Second Time
Article date: Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Iranian Born Photographer Wins International Portrait Photographer of the Year for Second Time

Iranian-born photographer Forough Yavari has been crowned the overall winner of the International Portrait Photographer of the Year competition.

Archaeologists Unearth Earliest Monumental City Gate in Israel, From 5,500 Years Ago
Article date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Archaeologists Unearth Earliest Monumental City Gate in Israel, From 5,500 Years Ago

The impressive stone gate at Tel Erani was built to deter invaders from attacking. Based on the findings of Egyptian pottery in the area, it seemingly failed in its mission.

Nasa's James Webb Telescope Reveals Colors of Earendel, Most Distant Star Ever Detected
Article date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Nasa's James Webb Telescope Reveals Colors of Earendel, Most Distant Star Ever Detected

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has followed up on observations by the Hubble Space Telescope of the farthest star ever detected in the very distant universe, within the first billion years after the big bang. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument reveals the star to be a massive B-type star more than twice as hot as our Sun, and about a million times more luminous.

Ancient Kushan Script Deciphered After 70 Years
Article date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Ancient Kushan Script Deciphered After 70 Years

Approximately 60% of the characters in the Kushan script have been decoded, and the researchers are continuing their efforts to decipher the remaining characters.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Acquires Important Painting Attributed to Jacques Amans
Article date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Acquires Important Painting Attributed to Jacques Amans

The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired an important painting attributed to Jacques Guillame Lucien Amans, the French neoclassical painter who worked in New Orleans in the late 1830s through the 1850s. The painting, titled Bélizaire and the Frey Children, of ca. 1837, represents one of the rarest and most fully documented American portraits of a Black individual depicted with the family of his White enslaver. The painting will go on view in Gallery 756 of the American Wing this fall.

266 Antiquities Seized in US Returned to Italy
Article date: Monday, August 14, 2023

266 Antiquities Seized in US Returned to Italy

Police from the art unit of Italy's carabinieri paramilitary force said that the owner of the collection "spontaneously" returned the items after investigators determined that they had originated from secret and illegal excavations of archaeological sites.

Brushstrokes of Liberation: The Spirit of India Through The Eyes of Artists
Article date: Thursday, August 10, 2023

Brushstrokes of Liberation: The Spirit of India Through The Eyes of Artists

India's Independence Day, celebrated on August 15th, holds immense significance as it marks the country's liberation from British colonial rule in 1947. This day honours the sacrifices of countless freedom fighters and symbolises the triumph of unity, diversity, and self-determination.