In February 2025, Beirut-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh won the competition to oversee the remodelling of the Western Range of the British Museum, a series of galleries comprising one-third of the historic London institution. Her project team includes conservation specialists Purcell and engineers Arup. Ghotmeh, known for her human-centred, sustainable approach and her 'archaeology of the future' methodology, has previously designed the Stone Garden tower in Beirut and the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion in London. She also holds commissions for a contemporary art museum in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, a Venice Biennale pavilion for Qatar, and the Bahrain Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka.
This appointment matters because it signals a shift in how major museums envision their role in the 21st century. Ghotmeh’s vision emphasizes that museums should go beyond conservation to foster exchange, reflection, and critical thinking—a philosophy that could influence the future of museum design globally. Her selection also highlights the growing prominence of architects from the Middle East in shaping major cultural institutions in the West, and her archaeological approach to architecture offers a materially sensitive and intellectually ambitious model for transforming historic museum spaces.