British Museum worker sacked over missing items

Reports that a museum employee was sacked over missing items has triggered jibes on social media, as netizens compare the theft with imperialist history of the artefacts themselves.

A senior curator at the British Museum has been sacked over missing items. Peter Higgs worked on the museum’s Greek collections, and was dismissed after semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century BC were reported stolen or damaged.

Besides the general controversy surrounding Higgs’ behaviour, the internet has erupted with jokes about the British Museum’s colonial history, drawing comparisons between its past behaviour and Higgs’ theft.

The British Museum’s collection is world-famous and houses a vast range of prized historical artefacts — but the large majority of these items were forcibly taken from their original homes.

Through colonial conquest and imperialism, the BM is one of many British institutions that has built its reputation as a bastion of ‘British’ culture.