The British Museum was evacuated on Saturday afternoon after receiving malicious communications and discovering a suspicious device in a toilet. The Metropolitan Police were called to the scene in Central London at 2:50 PM, where officers conducted a thorough investigation, the museum confirmed.
Police Investigation and Reopening
Visitors were allowed back into the museum at 4 PM after police declared the site safe and confirmed there was no ongoing threat. A British Museum spokesperson said: 'The safety and security of our visitors, colleagues and volunteers is always our highest priority. We would like to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and professional response, and we are grateful to our visitors and staff for their cooperation during the evacuation. The museum has now reopened and normal operations have resumed. As this remains a police matter, we will not be providing further comment on the nature of the communications received.'
A Met Police spokesperson added: 'Officers responded and assessed the package. It was found to be non-suspicious and the incident has been stood down.'
Context: Postponed Lecture on Ancient Israel
The evacuation comes days after the British Museum postponed a lecture on ancient Israel, part of Jewish Culture Month, after discovering that several registered attendees planned to disrupt the event. In a statement on Wednesday, the museum said: 'In recent days, we were informed that a significant proportion of registered attendees were individuals intending to deliberately disrupt the event, preventing others from participating in good faith and undermining the purpose of the programme. The British Museum fully recognises the importance of lawful protest and freedom of expression in a democratic society. Equally, we have a responsibility to ensure that events hosted within the museum can proceed safely, securely and without intimidation for speakers, staff and visitors alike. Following discussions with organisers and security partners, a joint decision was taken to postpone the event to a later date when it can take place in an environment that properly safeguards both the audience experience and the integrity of the programme itself.'
The decision has drawn criticism from several figures, including BBC historian Simon Schama, who called it 'pathetic cowardice' on X, saying it was 'absolutely the wrong decision' that 'sends a terrible message'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and former health secretary Wes Streeting also condemned the move. Streeting said: 'The postponement of an event at the British Museum as part of the first Jewish Culture Month is simply unacceptable. So-called activists are attempting to rewrite history and target Jews. It is on all of us to push back now against anti-Jewish racism.'
The Board of Deputies of British Jews called the disruption 'highly regrettable' and stated: 'Jewish Culture Month has seen many of Britain's great cultural institutions partner with us in celebration of British Jewish culture, community and creativity, and we will not allow the actions of extremists to prevent the British public from enjoying these events. We will be working with our partners at the British Museum to reschedule this event as soon as possible.'
