Slashed Opening Hours at Science Museum
Plus: All Smithsonian museums to close, and UK museums face crisis
friday briefing - 20 Nov 2020
How is everyone? In theory we are less than two weeks away until museums in England can reopen. But you wouldn’t bet your house on it would you? If you are looking ahead to what museums you might like to visit post-lockdown, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourites in London in my very first Instagram Guide. (Have you seen this feature yet? It’s amazing and will be perfect for museums and art lovers!). You can see my Guide by visiting my account at @maxwellmuseums. Don’t forget to follow.
The big museum news about the Science Museum broke last night (see below). Feels a bit like a watershed and I suspect a number of museums will follow. Strange times.
Let’s read on!
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Let’s start with some cheer! London’s South Bank is about to sparkle with a luminous outdoor art exhibition. Time Out
And in other exciting news. The National Gallery has announced details of a massive show devoted to Albrecht Dürer - the first major exhibition on the German Renaissance artist in London for 20 years. maxwell museums
A bleak future I. The recent news on vaccines might offer a hint of light at the end of the corona tunnel, but the financial impact for museums is going to be felt for years. So much so, the Science Museum will only open 5 days a week until March 2022. Science Museum
A bleak future II. But even in the here and now, 60% of museums and galleries say they face an existential crisis in the next two years, according to Art Fund research. The Guardian
A bleak present. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC is indefinitely shuttering operations at all its museums due to a second spike of coronavirus cases in the city. Associated Press
Christ among the Doctors, Albrecht Dürer, 1506. © Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
“destined for oblivion”. Up to half a million objects could be destroyed because the newly-approved Stonehenge road tunnel is ‘too short.’ The Times
It’s happening. 30 groups have been selected to pitch ideas for the national Festival UK 2022 - aka the Festival of Brexit - including Tate, the Eden Project, the British Library, and er, Jamie Oliver. BBC News
‘I need complete freedom’. After the huge furore over her Mary Wollstonecraft statue, artist Maggi Hambling hit back at her critics. The Observer
Sign of the Times. Is the V&A hoping to acquire *that* Harry Styles cardigan? I think news outlets have got ahead of themselves, as it sounds more like they want one of the TikTok knock-offs. Evening Standard
Puppy love. The president of Turkmenistan has unveiled a massive gold statue of his favourite dog. Yes really. The Independent
and a bonus read…
Should British museums sell objects to stay afloat? As galleries auction off treasures to retain staff and plug cash gaps left by Covid, the art world is divided on ethics of disposal. The Observer took a deep-dive into the issue this week that is well worth your time.
I send this newsletter in my spare time, and I would really appreciate your support if you’ve enjoyed it, so I can keep sending them. Buying me a digital coffee is a big help.