Nicholas Cullinan gets BM Director Job!
March 28 2024
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Big news to report this afternoon that Nicholas Cullinan OBE, current director of the National Portrait Gallery in London, has landed the job of Director of the British Museum. He takes over from Hartwig Fischer, who resigned over the dramatic thefts scandal which made headline news last year.
According to Cullinan, quoted in the article linked above:
“I look forward to joining its wonderful and dedicated staff and to work with its hugely impressive board in leading it into a new chapter.
“This will encompass the most significant transformations, both architectural and intellectual, happening in any museum globally, to continue making the British Museum the most engaged and collaborative it can be.”
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It is true that Cullinan's leadership of the NPG since 2015 has brought the museum into the 21st century, particularly with its emphasis on being 'trendy' (particularly where the new cafe, bar and shop are concerned at least). It will be interesting to see how this might translate to the vast complex of buildings, galleries and disciplines housed within The British Museum. This is not to mention the large questions posed by the increasingly international contexts and pressures of the purpose and role of such significant national museums. Transforming the NPG, with its relatively smaller spaces, lends itself to being filled with fashion shows and celebrity DJs (see Cullinan's Instagram Account for an up-to-date insight into this side of his role as Director).
AHN wishes Nicholas all the best in this new role!
