The directors of the UK’s national museums are calling for an end to the protests that have targeted galleries and artworks, emphasizing that the disruptions have caused considerable distress for both staff and visitors. In an open letter released by the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC), these directors are urging environmental campaigners to take their demonstrations away from the country’s cultural institutions, highlighting the impacts on both the museum community and the general public.
The letter, which represents the collective stance of leaders from the UK’s prestigious national collections—including the National Gallery and the British Museum—expresses the growing frustration over repeated attacks on significant works of art. The NMDC states that these incidents have created a climate of uncertainty, causing “enormous stress for colleagues at every level of an organization, along with visitors who now no longer feel safe visiting the nation’s finest museums and galleries.”
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Repeated Attacks by Environmental Protesters
This plea comes in the wake of multiple protests led by activist groups, with the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square being a prime target. Since July 2022, the museum has been repeatedly disrupted by the environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil. Notable incidents included attacks on some of the gallery’s most treasured works, such as John Constable’s The Hay Wain, Diego Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, and Vincent van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers. These attacks have highlighted a pattern of disruption that directly impacts the safety, integrity, and accessibility of culturally significant artworks.
Earlier this week, the protests took a different turn when members of Youth Demand were arrested after staging an action involving a Pablo Picasso painting. The protestors briefly covered Picasso’s Motherhood (La Maternité), painted in 1901, with a photograph depicting a Gazan mother and child. This latest incident once again placed museum staff and security on high alert, underscoring the mounting challenges faced by cultural institutions.
These incidents have not only led to increased security concerns but have also necessitated greater spending on conservation efforts. Cleaning up after protests, ensuring that damaged works are properly restored, and taking preventive measures all contribute to a growing financial burden on already stretched museum budgets. Many museums rely on public funding and donations, and diverting resources to deal with protests limits their ability to develop new exhibitions, outreach programs, and educational initiatives. This strain on resources threatens the very mission of museums to educate, inspire, and foster a love for culture and the arts.
A Call for Peace in Cultural Spaces
The NMDC’s open letter makes it clear that the protests must end to ensure that museums and galleries can fulfill their primary role: to provide a space of learning, cultural appreciation, and solace for all. The council emphasizes that these cultural havens, which hold some of humanity’s most cherished artworks, are being compromised, and that their ability to function as places of reflection and inspiration is being undermined by these repeated attacks.
“The demonstrations now need to be taken away from our museums and galleries so that they can continue to provide light and solace to all,” the letter concludes, poignantly summarizing the deep frustration felt across the sector. Museums are meant to be sanctuaries of art and culture—spaces where people can engage with the richness of human creativity, free from fear and disturbance.
The open letter further stresses the importance of protecting these cultural sites as part of the nation’s heritage. It notes that museums are not only repositories of art but also essential educational centers that help communities learn about history, culture, and science. They serve as places of dialogue and discovery, where the past and present meet to foster greater understanding among people of all ages. By targeting these institutions, protestors risk alienating the public from accessing these important narratives and undermining educational opportunities that benefit society as a whole.
Protesters Remain Defiant
However, protest groups have shown no signs of backing down. In response to the NMDC’s open letter, a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil remained unapologetic, stating: “If the NMDC believes the biggest threat they face is nonviolent protest, they should speak to the staff that are now sleeping in Florida’s Salvador Dalí museum after their houses were destroyed by a supercharged hurricane.” This defiant response highlights the ideological clash between protestors and cultural institutions, with environmental activists arguing that their cause—climate change—is far more urgent than the temporary inconvenience caused by protest actions.
The protestors argue that civil disobedience is often necessary to draw attention to critical global issues like climate change. From their perspective, the use of high-profile locations such as museums is a calculated choice to ensure that their message reaches as wide an audience as possible. However, this approach has sparked significant debate over whether the ends justify the means, and whether museums—neutral spaces meant to inspire and educate—should be caught in the crossfire of political activism.
While the importance of addressing climate change cannot be understated, the NMDC’s letter draws attention to the fact that museums are being turned into battlegrounds in this fight, which ultimately undermines their core purpose. Visitors who seek solace in these institutions are often left feeling uneasy, uncertain of what might happen during their visit. This sentiment of unease jeopardizes the accessibility of cultural spaces, as fewer people may feel comfortable engaging with the nation’s cultural heritage.
The Impact on Museum Staff and Visitors
The emotional and psychological toll on museum staff, as highlighted in the NMDC’s letter, is a critical aspect of these protests that is often overlooked. Museum employees, including curators, security staff, and administration, are dedicated to preserving and protecting cultural artifacts for the benefit of all. The protests, often sudden and unpredictable, have left many staff members feeling vulnerable and powerless in the face of escalating tactics.
Museum staff members are highly trained professionals, often with specialized knowledge of art conservation, history, and public engagement. Their primary focus is ensuring that collections are well cared for and accessible to the public. However, the need to constantly be on alert for potential disruptions has shifted their attention from these important tasks to dealing with security threats and managing crisis situations. This shift has led to exhaustion and anxiety among staff members, many of whom feel that their ability to do their job effectively is being compromised.
Visitors, too, are experiencing heightened anxiety due to these demonstrations. Museums are traditionally places where individuals, families, and groups can explore art and history at their own pace, free from the turmoil of the outside world. The growing number of disruptions has made this experience increasingly difficult to guarantee, detracting from the joy and educational value that museums provide.
The unpredictable nature of these protests has also led to a decline in attendance in some museums, particularly among families with young children and elderly visitors. Many people are now hesitant to visit museums due to concerns about potential disruptions and safety risks. This reduction in foot traffic not only affects the museums financially, as admissions often contribute significantly to their funding, but also reduces the impact that these cultural institutions have on public life. Museums thrive on public engagement, and anything that diminishes their ability to attract and serve visitors ultimately detracts from their mission.
The Need for Constructive Dialogue
While the intentions of groups like Just Stop Oil and Youth Demand are rooted in raising awareness for urgent environmental and humanitarian causes, there is a need for these conversations to take place in more appropriate settings—ones that do not endanger invaluable cultural treasures or cause undue distress to museum staff and visitors. The NMDC’s call for an end to these demonstrations is not a dismissal of the importance of climate activism but rather a plea for the preservation of spaces that belong to everyone.
The challenge now is finding a balance between raising awareness for pressing global issues and respecting public cultural institutions as spaces of education, inspiration, and peace. Museums are not adversaries in the fight for climate action—they are allies in education and awareness, offering insights into human history and creativity. Moving forward, a more collaborative approach between activists and cultural institutions could potentially amplify messages without compromising the integrity of the nation’s cultural heritage.
One potential solution is for museums to open their doors for organized forums and discussions about climate change and other pressing issues. By creating a space for dialogue within their walls, museums can support activists’ goals while also protecting the integrity of their collections. Such events could foster meaningful conversations, bringing together experts, artists, activists, and the public to discuss pathways forward. This approach would preserve the safety and sanctity of cultural spaces while also acknowledging the urgency of the issues being raised by protestors.
In addition, museums could work with activist groups to develop exhibitions that focus on environmental themes, using art to explore the complexities of climate change and its impacts. Art has always been a powerful medium for conveying messages and inspiring change, and museums are well-positioned to facilitate this kind of engagement. By collaborating in this way, both museums and activists can benefit—museums can fulfill their educational mission, and activists can reach a wider audience in a constructive manner.
Conclusion
The open letter from the National Museum Directors’ Council is a significant plea for the protection of cultural spaces from disruptive protests. As the clash between climate activists and museums continues, it is essential to remember that these institutions exist for the public good—to educate, inspire, and provide a place of solace. For these reasons, demonstrations should be redirected to venues that do not risk damaging cultural artifacts or detracting from the essential experience of visiting a museum. Museums must be preserved as spaces of reflection, connection, and wonder—a goal that all parties, ultimately, can support.
Moving forward, constructive dialogue between activists and cultural institutions offers a promising path. By collaborating on exhibitions, forums, and educational programs, both parties can work towards common goals without compromising the safety and accessibility of cultural treasures. Museums should remain places where the public can experience the best of human creativity, learn from the past, and be inspired to build a better future—free from fear and disruption.
