The British Museum was evacuated on Saturday after staff discovered a suspicious device in a restroom, prompting a police response. The Metropolitan Police investigated the object and determined it posed no threat, allowing visitors back into the museum by 4 p.m. The museum also reported receiving malicious communications prior to the evacuation, though officials declined to elaborate on their nature, citing an ongoing police matter. No injuries were reported.
The evacuation comes less than a week after the museum postponed a lecture on ancient Israel scheduled for Jewish Culture Month, citing security concerns over planned disruptions by registered attendees. While police have not linked the two incidents, the back-to-back security issues highlight heightened tensions at one of the world's most visited cultural institutions, which welcomed over six million visitors last year. The postponement drew criticism from public figures including historian Simon Schama and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, underscoring the museum's challenge in balancing public programming with safety.