Indigenous Brazilian leader Ninawa Huni Kui has condemned the Science Museum in London for accepting sponsorship from BP on the eve of its new exhibition, *Water, Pantanal, Fire*, which highlights climate breakdown in Latin America. The exhibition focuses on the Pantanal wetland, a threatened ecosystem spanning Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Huni Kui called BP's sponsorship "dirty funds stained with blood," and was joined by activists from 350.org and Culture Unstained in criticizing the museum for partnering with a major fossil fuel company while presenting a show about climate impacts.
This controversy matters because it underscores the growing tension between cultural institutions and fossil fuel sponsors, as museums face pressure to align their funding with their environmental messaging. The Science Museum has already faced a boycott from hundreds of teachers and scientists, and the National Education Union has urged schools to pause trips until BP and Adani sponsorships are dropped. The dispute raises broader questions about the ethics of museum sponsorship, the role of public institutions in climate advocacy, and whether cultural venues can credibly address climate change while accepting money from the companies driving it.