The British Museum says it is partly closed after a fired employee shut down IT systems – National

The British Museum, the country’s most popular tourist attraction, was partially closed to the public on Saturday after a fired employee broke in and shut down computer systems, museum management said.

The central London museum, which attracts nearly 6 million visitors each year, closed its temporary exhibitions and part of its permanent collection after the alleged attack on Thursday.

“An IT contractor who was fired last week threatened the museum and shut down several of our systems,” the museum said in a statement on Friday. “The police arrived and he was arrested on the spot.

“We are working hard to get the museum fully operational again, but regrettably our temporary exhibitions are closed today and will remain so over the weekend – ticket holders have been warned and offered refunds.”

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The Metropolitan Police said officers were called on Thursday evening “to reports that a man had entered the British Museum and was causing damage to the museum’s security and IT systems.” It said a man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage. He has been released on bail while the investigation continues.

The 266-year-old museum has had a rocky few years. Efforts are still being made to track down some of the more than 1,800 objects believed to have been stolen by a former curator and offered for sale online. Peter Higgs, who worked in the museum’s Greece and Rome department for 30 years, was fired in July 2023 and is being sued by the museum. He denies the allegations.

Museum director Hartwig Fischer resigned in August 2023, acknowledging that the institution’s management did not follow up on warnings that artifacts, including gold jewelry, semi-precious stones and antiquities from the 15th century BC, were stolen from its collection and sold on eBay.

The museum, filled with treasures from around the world, is also facing growing pressure to return artefacts taken from other countries during the period of the British Empire – notably the Parthenon Marbles, 2,500-year-old sculptures that were removed from Athens in the early days. 19th century by British diplomat Lord Elgin.

Greece has been campaigning for the return of the marbles for decades. The British Museum is prohibited by law from returning the sculptures to Greece, but its leaders have held talks with Greek officials about a compromise, such as a long-term loan.

& copy 2025 The Canadian Press