Friday 26 June 2026
What’s happening in museums, galleries, art and heritage
Happy Friday.
And the winner is…The Box in Plymouth!
The five-year-old museum in Devon’s biggest city last night took the crown for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026. It pockets the £120,000 winner’s cheque, the largest museum prize in the world.
Director of Art Fund and chair of the judges Jenny Waldman called The Box “a revelation… a true jewel in the crown of the South West.”
Fellow judge, broadcaster June Sarpong, said “what stood out so strongly with The Box was the sense of pride and connection it has created across Plymouth,” adding that it is “reimagining what being a museum can mean.”
I visited The Box for the first time earlier this year. The Beryl Cook retrospective was fantastic, and it currently sits in my top 3 shows of the year so far. I also saw the exhibition built around the loan of the National Portrait' Gallery’s Portrait of Mai by Reynolds — something which I interviewed director Victoria Pomery about. The Box is an impressive space no doubt.
But I was particularly pleased to see that The Box’s economic boost to its home city was touted as part of the reason for its victory. Waldman said the museum’s “economic impact demonstrates what long-term investment in culture can achieve — and [it] is recognised and championed by Plymouth City Council.” There were references in the press release to an independent report that said the venue had generated over £100 million in health and wellbeing benefits, and had boosted Plymouth’s local economy by £244 million.
To me it was a surprisingly rare acknowledgment that museums and galleries operate in a wider economic reality. I always think that operational health — including securing long-term financial backing — is very under-sung in the museum world.
But as Waldman wrote in this very newsletter on the eve of the award ceremony: “[Plymouth] City Council knows they’ve invested wisely.” I think there’s a strong case that in today’s climate, securing this type of investment should have clinched them the title alone.
When applications were opened for this year’s prize, Art Fund said it was particularly looking for organisations that “are pushing the boundaries of what a museum is or can achieve.” Fair enough. But when we know that too many museums are failing (closing for good, or being offloaded) what should the benchmarks of success really be in the 2020s? It’s not as sexy and it inspires far fewer warm and fuzzy feelings, but organisational robustness is the foundation for all long-term success.
It won’t happen, but I think it would be a very welcome signal if next year’s best museum was crowned for being loud and proud about its good governance, operational leanness and budget surplus.
Now onto the news!
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Museums across Europe have struggled with the current heatwave, with the record-breaking temperatures causing venues to reduce their opening hours or close entirely.
The Young V&A in London has been shut since Tuesday lunchtime, and currently isn’t planning to reopen until Sunday at the earliest. Cutty Sark closed on Thursday and also will remain shut until at least Sunday.
The University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge will not reopen until Tuesday because of “the extreme weather conditions affecting our cooling systems.” Certain galleries have also been restricted at the British Museum and the V&A.
In France, the Palais de Tokyo closed, as did the Eiffel Tower. And the Louvre has been closing early for a number of days now. In the Netherlands, Queen Máxima’s visit to officially reopen the revamped Beelden aan Zee museum in the Hague was cancelled due to the extreme heat. (Read more)
Turner prize winner Helen Cammock has removed an artwork from display in the National Portrait Gallery after complaints about how it blamed Winston Churchill for a famine in colonial-era India.
The 38-minute video piece made a reference to "the wilful starvation of the Indian population by Winston Churchill" in the 1943 Bengal famine.
Historian and Churchill biographer Andrew Roberts sent the gallery an open letter signed by over 50 members of the House of Lords — including Nicholas Soames, a grandson of Churchill — calling the video “an ideologically motivated rant” and “historically ludicrous.”
In response, the gallery had defended the work saying “we support freedom of artistic expression while not necessarily endorsing the opinions expressed.”
But this week — after being displayed for over a year — it was removed at Cammock’s request. “We respect her decision,” the gallery said in a statement. “Just as we acknowledge the opinions of those who were offended by what was said in the film.” (Read more)
Secret funeral for David Hockney 🎨
David Hockney’s funeral took place in secret last week. As per the artists wishes, only his partner and his great nephew attended. But there’ll be a series of memorial services next year, with the first being held in London. This will be followed by memorials in LA, Paris and Yorkshire, places Hockney had called home. It’s also been confirmed that the “vast majority” of Hockney’s works will now be given to foundations and public institutions around the world to preserve his legacy. (Read more)
Transport Museum on track for major revamp 🚇
The London Transport Museum will undergo a major restoration ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2030. Work will be carried to modernise the historic Grade II listed building, and a new entrance and an extra 500 square metres of gallery space will be created. The transformation is expected to grow annual visits by more than 20% — last year saw an all-time record of 450,000 visitors come through the door. (Read more)
Southbank Chair to step down 🟡
Misan Harrimanm — the Southbank Centre chair who has been engulfed by a row over his social media posts — has said he will step down in the autumn. “I had decided way before this madness that I was going to do two terms,” he said. The Southbank confirmed Harrimanm had told the board of his decision in January, but they provided no answers to the Telegraph’s questions as to why his second three-year term — due to run to next year — has been truncated. (Read more)
King’s advocacy recognised by Science Museum 👑
The King has received a Fellowship of the Science Museum Group. The museum’s Fellowship was established in 2009 and they are given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science. It was awarded to His Majesty in recognition of his work raising public awareness of environmental issues and promoting careers in STEM. The presentation was a family affair, as it was handed over by Science Museum Chair Sir Tim Laurence, who is the King’s brother-in-law. (Read more)
France 🇫🇷
”The Louvre is running out of steam” according to the museum’s new director. Christophe Leribault told a Senate committee that the institution is struggling to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities, saying the Louvre’s “equipment and infrastructure are reaching the end of their life cycle” and that "building-related emergencies are piling up.” But he warned that they are “facing a wall in terms of investments." (Read more)
Korea 🇰🇷 Greece 🇬🇷
Yet another proposed Centre Pompidou satellite looks set to collapse, as the planned $71 million Busan outpost teeters on the brink. The project has stalled two years after an agreement was signed with the French institution — and the city's new administration is now reviewing its future. But it’s been in doubt since a Pompidou outpost opened in May in Seoul. During press for the launch, Centre Pompidou President Laurent Le Bon said “we are 100 percent focused on Seoul” when he was asked about Busan (Read more)
PAW Patrol pop-up at Natural History Museum
Another big-brand retail pop-up is coming to the Natural History Museum. This time it’s a tie-up with the upcoming film PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. There’ll be merch, and a “Volcanic Lava Lounge” to watch PAW Patrol episodes. (Full story)
Award-winning artist accused of copying Basquiat
An Australian artist who won a $20,000 prize for a painting she’s accused of copying from another artist is now facing a second case of plagiarism — this time of imitating artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. (Full story)
Textile museum vandalised three times
A historic mill which houses the Helmshore Mills Textile Museum has been targeted by vandals in three separate occasions in the last week, including instances of rocks thrown at windows. Lancashire Police said enquiries were ongoing. (Full story)
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👀 Last edition’s most clicked stories:
🥇 Record demand for Tate Moderns’s Kahlo show
🥈 Brunel’s SS Great Britain abandons ship name in rebrand
🥉 The Getty in LA launches new video podcast dedicated to meditation
📊 Last week’s poll results | Have you already booked your ticket to see Tate Modern’s Frida Kahlo exhibition?
— YES! I'm in the 41,000 pre-bookers! 13%
— Not yet — I will ASAP 48% 🏆
— Nah, I'm not interested 40%
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