Director of the British Museum
Encyclopedia
The Director of the British Museum is the head of the British Museum
in London
, a post currently held by Neil MacGregor
. He is responsible for that institution's general administration and reports its accounts to the British Government. The actual governance of the British Museum, however, is delegated to its Board of Trustees.
At the Museum's inception its most senior member of staff was called 'Principal Librarian'. The job title became 'Director and Principal Librarian' in 1898, and 'Director' in 1973 (on the separation of the British Library
from the Museum).
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, a post currently held by Neil MacGregor
Neil MacGregor
Robert Neil MacGregor, OM, FSA is an art historian and museum director. He was the Editor of the Burlington Magazine from 1981 to 1987, the Director of the National Gallery, London, from 1987 to 2002, and was appointed Director of the British Museum in 2002...
. He is responsible for that institution's general administration and reports its accounts to the British Government. The actual governance of the British Museum, however, is delegated to its Board of Trustees.
At the Museum's inception its most senior member of staff was called 'Principal Librarian'. The job title became 'Director and Principal Librarian' in 1898, and 'Director' in 1973 (on the separation of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
from the Museum).
Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1756)
- 1756–1772 Gowin KnightGowin KnightGowin Knight FRS was an English physicist who, in 1745, discovered a process for creating strongly magnetized steel. He also served as the first principal librarian of the British Museum.-Biography:...
- 1772–1776 Matthew MatyMatthew MatyMatthew Maty , originally Matthieu Maty, was a Dutch physician and writer of Huguenot background, and after migration to England secretary of the Royal Society and the second principal librarian of the British Museum.-Early life:...
- 1776–1799 Charles MortonCharles Morton (librarian)Charles Morton MD was an English medical doctor and librarian who became the principal librarian of the British Museum.-Life:Morton first attended Leiden University from September 18, 1736. Some time before 1745, he moved to Kendal, Westmoreland, where he practiced as a physician...
- 1799–1827 Joseph PlantaJoseph Planta (librarian)Joseph Planta FRS , aka Joseph von Planta, was a librarian of Swiss origin who moved to London and became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum....
- 1827–1856 Henry EllisHenry Ellis (librarian)Sir Henry Ellis was an English librarian.He was born in London and educated at the Mercers' School and St John's College, Oxford, where he acted as an assistant at the Bodleian Library...
- 1856–1866 Anthony PanizziAnthony PanizziSir Antonio Genesio Maria Panizzi , better known as Anthony Panizzi, was a naturalized British librarian of Italian birth and an Italian patriot.-Early life in Italy:...
- 1866–1873 John Winter JonesJohn Winter JonesJohn Winter Jones was an English librarian. He was Principal Librarian of the British Museum between 1866–73. He was the first President of the Library Association in the U.K..-Biography:...
- 1873–1888 Edward Augustus BondEdward Augustus BondSir Edward Augustus Bond KCB was an English librarian.-Biography:Bond was born at Hanwell, the son of a schoolmaster. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, and in 1832 obtained a post in the Public Record Office...
- 1888–1898 Edward Maunde ThompsonEdward Maunde ThompsonSir Edward Maunde Thompson, GCB was a British palaeographer and Principal Librarian and first Director of the British Museum. He is also noted for his study of William Shakespeare's handwriting in the manuscript of the play Sir Thomas More.-Biography:Thompson's father was Edward Thompson, Custos...
Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1898)
- 1898–1909 Edward Maunde ThompsonEdward Maunde ThompsonSir Edward Maunde Thompson, GCB was a British palaeographer and Principal Librarian and first Director of the British Museum. He is also noted for his study of William Shakespeare's handwriting in the manuscript of the play Sir Thomas More.-Biography:Thompson's father was Edward Thompson, Custos...
- 1909–1931 Frederic George KenyonFrederic G. KenyonSir Frederic George Kenyon GBE KCB TD FBA FSA was a British paleographer and biblical and classical scholar. He occupied from 1889 to 1931 a series of posts at the British Museum...
- 1931–1936 George Francis HillGeorge Francis HillSir George Francis Hill KCB was the Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum . He was a specialist in Renaissance medals.- Early years :...
- 1936–1950 John ForsdykeJohn ForsdykeSir John Forsdyke KCB was Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum from 1936 to 1950....
- 1950–1959 Thomas Downing Kendrick
- 1959–1969 Frank FrancisFrank FrancisSir Frank Chalton Francis KCB was an English academic librarian and curator. Almost all his working life was at the British Museum, first as an assistant keeper in the department of printed books, and later as secretary of the museum, keeper of printed books and, between 1959 and 1968, director...
- 1969–1974 John WolfendenJohn Wolfenden, Baron WolfendenJohn Frederick Wolfenden, Baron Wolfenden, CBE was a British educationalist probably best remembered for chairing the Wolfenden report recommending the decriminalisation of homosexuality, which was published in 1957...
Director of the British Museum (1973)
- 1974–1977 John Pope-Hennessy
- 1977–1992 David M. WilsonDavid M. WilsonSir David Mackenzie Wilson, Kt is a British archaeologist, art historian, and museum curator, specialising in Anglo-Saxon art and the Viking Age. He lives on the Isle of Man....
- 1992–2002 Robert AndersonRobert Anderson (museum director)Robert Geoffrey William Anderson is a British museum curator and chemist who was Director of the British Museum, London.Anderson studied at St John's College, Oxford University. He has held posts at the Royal Scottish Museum , the Science Museum, London, the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh...
- 2002–present Neil MacGregorNeil MacGregorRobert Neil MacGregor, OM, FSA is an art historian and museum director. He was the Editor of the Burlington Magazine from 1981 to 1987, the Director of the National Gallery, London, from 1987 to 2002, and was appointed Director of the British Museum in 2002...