How your money helps
2019 Members appeal
The support you provide to The British Museum Friends is vital.
Last year Membership activities made a contribution of more than £4 million to the work of the Museum. Thank you.
Carl Heron, Director of Scientific Research, British Museum
Through the generosity of Members, we were able to purchase a digital microscope in 2017. Since then, we have used it in numerous projects producing detailed images of intricate Scythian gold, the beautiful silver bowls from Mildenhall, the remarkable Turquoise Mosaics, stunning Hokusai woodblock prints and much more. These colour images are striking and they help to demonstrate how the objects were made and inform on their current condition. This is helping us to tell new stories about the collection. Members’ lectures are a highlight in the annual calendar and we look forward to sharing some of our latest results with you in the future.
Carl Heron, Director of Scientific Research
Preserving the collection
Thanks to the generosity of our Members, we have now exceeded our goal of raising £100,000 towards vital conservation projects at the Museum in our 2019 Members' appeal.
With the support of Members of the British Museum Friends, objects such as the Lewis Chessmen, Great Court totem poles, and the British Museum's pre-Columbian Andean textile collection will receive vital conservation work. This work will enable our dedicated conservation team to preserve the collection for future generations to study and enjoy. These treatments and scientific research will help to provide further insight into the stories of these iconic objects. The results of your support will be visible to visitors for future generations.
Every object in the British Museum, including those you see on display, is cared for by a dedicated team of conservators. They work to preserve and investigate over 8 million objects, leading and supporting the latest scientific and academic research into the collection. Conservation is often a hidden side of Museum work, however, it's vital to the health of the overall collection. Treatments frequently help to uncover hidden stories and offer new insight into these precious objects.
You can still donate online or by calling the Membership team on +44 (0)20 7323 8195.
More ways your money helps
Contact the Membership Office
The Membership Office will remain open while the Museum is closed to the public. Please note we'll be working remotely and will not be contactable by phone.
Get in touch via email at friends@britishmuseum.org and we'll respond to your query as soon as possible.
Visit the Membership FAQs for the latest information.