TAKING THE FALL

British Museum Director Quits After Stolen Artifacts Fiasco

A senior curator was recently fired for allegedly stealing ancient artifacts and pawning them off on eBay.

The director of the British Museum called it quits on Friday after a senior curator was fired for allegedly stealing artifacts and pawning them off on eBay. In a news release, Hartwig Fischer, who has headed the world-class museum since 2016, admitted it was “evident” the institution failed to respond to warnings of theft under his leadership. “The responsibility for that failure must ultimately rest with the director,” Fischer wrote. Last week, a report revealed that a staggering number of artifacts had gone missing, including hundreds of coins, gold jewelry, semi-precious stones, and glass dating back to ancient Rome. While the museum did not specify how many items were stolen, the artifacts are believed to be worth tens of millions of British pounds. The New York Times on Tuesday published emails in which Fischer downplayed allegations of theft in 2021. He said he now recognized the museum “did not respond as comprehensively as it should have” and has “come to the conclusion that my presence is proving a distraction.”