The British Museum has taken legal action against former curator Peter Higgs, accusing him of stealing over 1,800 artifacts from its collections and offering them for sale online. Higgs, who was fired in July 2023, is alleged to have stolen ancient gems, gold jewelry, and other pieces from storerooms over the course of a decade. The museum has already recovered 356 of the missing items and is working to retrieve more. Higgs, who worked in the Greece and Rome department for over 20 years, denies the allegations and plans to dispute the museum’s claims.
During the court hearing, museum lawyer Daniel Burgess revealed that Higgs tried to cover his tracks by using fake names, creating false documents, manipulating records, and selling artifacts below their value. The judge ordered Higgs to list or return any items in his possession within four weeks, and also demanded the disclosure of his eBay and PayPal records. Despite the ongoing police investigation, Higgs has not been charged with a crime. The museum’s director, Hartwig Fischer, resigned after the loss of the items was revealed, and the chairman of trustees, George Osborne, acknowledged that the institution’s reputation has been tarnished.
The British Museum, established in the 18th century, is located in central London’s Bloomsbury district and is one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions, drawing around 6 million visitors annually. The museum’s diverse collection includes Egyptian mummies, ancient Greek statues, Viking hoards, Chinese poetry scrolls from the 12th century, and masks created by Indigenous peoples of Canada. The museum’s lawyer emphasized the cultural and historical significance of the stolen items, underscoring the importance of their recovery. The incident has raised concerns about the security and management of the museum’s collections, prompting a reevaluation of internal protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Despite the damage to the museum’s reputation, efforts are being made to address the situation and ensure the return of the stolen artifacts. The legal battle between the British Museum and Peter Higgs highlights the importance of protecting cultural heritage and ensuring the integrity of museum collections. As the investigation continues and the case unfolds, the outcome will have implications for the museum’s governance and security measures. The incident serves as a reminder of the responsibility museums have in safeguarding valuable artifacts and the need for transparency and accountability in managing their collections. The British Museum remains committed to upholding its mission of preserving and showcasing cultural treasures from around the world, while also learning from this unfortunate episode to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
