The arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry from France may have stolen the show at the British Museum this summer, but behind the scenes the wheels are turning on the London landmark’s major transformation.
By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter
The arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry from France may have stolen the show at the British Museum this summer, but behind the scenes the wheels are turning on the London landmark’s major transformation.
Last month the museum put out to tender over £1m in security, IT and logistics contracts attached to the third phase of its redevelopment masterplan – a drop in the ocean for a project set to deliver a “complete reimagining” of a third of the gallery’s floor space.
Housing the site’s “greatest objects from ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, Rome, Assyria and the Middle East”, the revamp of the Western Range is poised to install state-of-the-art storage facilities and introduce “engaging” modern architecture to the buildings. The museum’s directors have tipped the scheme to be the “biggest cultural renovation” of its kind in the world.
First opened to the public in 1759, the current building was designed by Sir Robert Smirke in 1823 and completed in 1852. The building’s colonnade is held up by 43 columns inspired by ancient Ionian ruins in Athens and Priene, and is probably Britain’s most famous example of the Greek Revival style. Today, the Grade I listed museum attracts six million visitors a year and is home to artefacts like the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon sculptures.
In February 2025, designs for the Western Range’s renovation from renowned Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh won out among stiff international competition. Official design work began in June 2025, and is expected to be finished later this year.
Meanwhile, in March, Camden Council approved controversial plans for new Welcome Pavilions, including security admission buildings for the museum’s estimated 6 million annual visitors to pass through, which are set to open in 2027.
Who’s paying?
The financing for the entire masterplan has not yet been sewn up, but comes from a combination of government and charity grants, sponsorship deals and private fundraising.
Donors like the Maughan Family have established a dedicated fund for the Western Range alone. The UK government has committed direct capital support to the new Energy Centre, while providing at least £80m in revenue and capital for the museum’s general budget in 2025/26.
In 2025 the Museum held its inaugural Pink Ball, where the museum raised a gross total of £2.5m. Roughly £1.6m was generated from 800 privately sold, invite-only tickets. Guests included Sir Mick Jagger, the Mayor of London, Maya Jama and Dame Tracey Emin. The remaining funds came from a silent auction and private auction.
A further £10.3m pledge from the grant-giving charity Garfield Weston Foundation was announced at the event, and will be used towards the new Welcome Pavilions at the North and South Entrances. Meanwhile, construction contracts for the Energy Centre Programme, beginning in 2024, were valued at £33m.
The Museum has invited criticism from climate groups after it accepted £50m from BP towards the development. At last year’s Pink Ball, Chair of Trustees George Osborne was notably confronted by a worker over the sponsorship, which has bestowed the oil company’s name on a lecture theatre.
However, according to the Museum’s annual report and accounts, the funding for the Western Range programme is yet to be fully secured. As of March 31, 2026, the designated ‘Masterplan’ fund stands at £16 million but the delivery of phase three is “dependent on the ability of the Museum to raise sufficient funds”.
The Museum says it is progressing with its fundraising campaign to support the concept design and development stages, though these were initially due to be unveiled by mid-2026. A second fundraising ball will take place on October 17, 2026, with tickets this time priced at £3,500 per head.
What’s in the masterplan?
Phase one: Archaeological Research Collection (ARC)
Project: A new facility for the storage, study and lending of British Museum objects, in partnership with the University of Reading. Funded predominantly by government investment following the sale of the Grade II listed Blythe House, which was used as an archive and storage facility for the British Museum and others.
Location: Thames Valley Science Park, Reading
Cost: £64 million
Status: Complete (opened 2024)
Phase two: Energy Centre Programme (ECP)
Project: Tipped to reduce the museum’s carbon footprint, the ECP is set to modernise the Museum’s service infrastructure including its primary power supply and heating system. The museum expects this will deliver an annual net saving of 1,700 tonnes of CO2
Location: British Museum Bloomsbury Campus
Cost: £33 million+ (fully funded by UK government)
Status: Currently scheduled for completion by 2029
Phase three: Western Range
Project: Rebuilding and restoring 10 separate buildings amounting to a third of gallery floor space, to “make them suitable for the 21st century”. The redesign will prioritise visitor experience as well as creating “beautiful spaces”, plus new collection stores and research facilities.
Location: British Museum, Bloomsbury Campus
Cost: TBC
Status: TBC
Welcome Pavilions
Project: Reimagining the two public entrances on the South Forecourt at Great Russell Street and the north entrance on Montague Place, replacing the existing security tents and barriers
Location: British Museum, Bloomsbury Campus
Cost: TBC. The project has received at least £10.3m in charitable donations
Status: Approved by Camden’s planning committee in March 2026, the south pavilion is scheduled to open in 2027
