Mark Jones was appointed as the new interim director at the British Museum on Wednesday as the institution seeks to restore its reputation following the theft of about 2,000 artifacts from its collection.
“I am pleased and honored to have been offered the opportunity to work with the board and with colleagues in the Museum to ensure the future security of the collections and restore the reputation of this great museum,” Jones said.
Jones replaces German art historian Hartwig Fischer after he stepped down last month over failings in the investigation into the theft of artifacts at the museum.
The museum, one of the most popular attractions in London, whose treasures include the Rosetta Stone, said last month that a member of staff had been dismissed after items, including jewelry and gems dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, had been taken from a storeroom.
Jones, who previously held roles as director of the National Museums of Scotland and the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), was appointed following approval by the British government.
“This is a critical moment for the British Museum, and I cannot think of anyone better placed to help take us forward than Sir Mark Jones,” the museum’s chair, George Osborne, said in a statement.
The theft crisis appears to date back to 2021, when a Danish art dealer got in touch with the British Museum to say he had spotted several items he believed to be from the museum’s collection for sale online. The British Museum initially said it had carried out a thorough investigation, but a follow-up probe found the first response to be insufficient, Osborne said last month.
The scandal has proved deeply embarrassing for the museum, given both its stature and the repeated calls from other countries for the institution to return many artifacts that were themselves appropriated during the British Empire.
CNN’s Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report.
