Museums

Hermitage museum mints Leonardo, Monet, Van Gogh NFTs to raise funds

The Russian museum had to overcome country's stringent restrictions on cryptocurrencies

NFTnews

The Whitworth gallery in Manchester mints a William Blake NFT in aid of community causes

The museum will track the activity of the crypto work for the next two years for a 2023 exhibition on art economics

France enforces vaccine passports for over-18s visiting museums and cultural venues

Controversial “health pass” introduced to fight a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections driven by the Delta variant

Prizesnews

From village life to vaccine centre: Museum of the Year 2021 shortlist announced

Centre for Contemporary Art Derry-Londonderry, Experience Barnsley, Firstsite, Thackray Museum of Medicine and Timespan chosen as five finalists for Art Fund's coveted £100,000 prize

Polandnews

Poland’s right-wing government dismisses director of leading contemporary art museum in latest blow to cultural scene

Over 1,000 leading Polish arts figures have signed a letter in defence of the Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw's head Hanna Wróblewska

Macba in Barcelona dismisses key curatorial staff shortly after appointing new director Elvira Dyangani Ose

Museum's move to sack Tanya Barson and Pablo Martínez prompts art world backlash on social media

England's Freedom Day has arrived—and museums are fighting to keep crowds at bay

Despite lockdown restrictions lifting today, most institutions will maintain capacity limits and distancing rules until at least end of August

Humboldt Forum opens in Berlin—finally for real

After almost two years of delays, the ambitious museum complex launches its first in-person exhibitions

Museum dedicated to man who deciphered the hieroglyphics opens in France—full of Ancient Egyptian treasures

Musée Champollion in the south east of France—once owned by descendants of Egyptologist Jean-François Champollion’s family—is also exhibiting 82 artefacts on loan from the Louvre

London's National Gallery appoints architect Annabelle Selldorf for its major renovation

First phase of the work is due to be completed by May 2024, in time for the gallery’s 200th anniversary

South Korea's rapid rise to global pop cultural dominance will be explored in new Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition

Hallyu! The Korean Wave takes place in 2022 along with Beatrix Potter celebration and showcase of African fashion

When the US was accused of ‘plundering’ Berlin’s museums: new show reveals murky history

An exhibition opening at the Cincinnati Art Museum reveals how 14 major museums found themselves caught up in a “morally dubious” ­tour of Germany's art treasures after the Second World War

We tackled Dutch slaving history—the Rijksmuseum's exhibition could serve as a model of its kind

The Netherlands needs to collectively examine how its past has shaped today's society, says the director of the Amsterdam museum

Edinburgh's Fruitmarket gallery reopens with new double-height performance space

Following a £4.3m overhaul, the Scottish art space's footprint has doubled

By Art Matters—Hangzhou's new contemporary art museum—announces inaugural programme

Curator Francesco Bonami leads long-awaited Chinese kunsthalle with a Theaster Gates-designed concept store and artist residency

Museumsanalysis

Why are top jobs in Chinese museums going to white men?

Local professionals continue to be overlooked for highly paid leading roles

Luma Arlesanalysis

South of France art venues create Covid-united network—and welcome LUMA Arles into the fold

Plein Sud includes 66 venues spanning from the Mediterranean coast to the Alps

Ai Weiwei’s animals feel the heat as conservators treat them to al fresco waxing at Lacma

Sculptures arrived from China ahead of a show of works of Chinese contemporary art

Museumscomment

One of us or one of them? A long view of the appointment of George Osborne as chair of the British Museum

The former chancellor's instalment echoes the selection of Lord Armstrong as chair of the V&A, which had serious consequences for the museum

Portuguese collector Joe Berardo—detained for tax fraud—also investigated for other crimes

Businessman behind the Museu Coleção Berardo in Lisbon, one of Portugal's most visited museums, allegedly owes nearly €1bn

Opening of London’s V&A East Museum delayed again because of pandemic

The Victoria and Albert Museum outpost is now due to open in 2025 but its open storage space is still on track for 2024

Gainsborough showstopper The Blue Boy comes home to the UK after 100 years

Picture will go on show at London’s National Gallery a century after it left for California

Visitor figures: how many people are actually returning to London museums post-lockdown?

We asked English institutions to provide figures for the four-week period from 17 May to gauge current demand

Centre Pompidou in Paris names new president as Brussels branch backtracks over ‘sexist’ appointment

The Kanal-Centre Pompidou in Belgium has responded to outcry over decision to make Bernard Blistène a co-director alongside Kasia Redzisz

Podcastspodcast

Should the Science Museum stop taking money from oil companies?

Plus, Michael Landy's exhibition at Firstsite and artist Shahzia Sikander on a manuscript miniature

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Appointment of former UK Chancellor George Osborne as new British Museum chairman draws criticism

Ex-politician, who presided over austerity cuts to culture, takes up the position on 4 October

A departure, a side move, and a new appointment: Centre Pompidou in flux as leadership shuffle causes controversy

Belgian art world outraged after curator Kasia Redzisz, who won a vote to be appointed director of Brussels outpost, will have to share the job with current director in Paris, Bernard Blistène