Comment

Xavier Bray is to take over as director of the Wallace Collection

Wallace Collection appoints Xavier Bray as new director

It will take both ambition and creative thinking to lead the museum: thankfully, Bray’s record so far suggests he has plenty of both

27 May 2016
Mirror valve: game of chess, from the Louvre collection

Antique ivory poses no threat to elephant conservation: in fact, it needs protection itself

Antiques dealers have cause for concern, but there’s also an opportunity to broaden the debate…

25 May 2016
The Narthex and south entry door to the Church os St Simeon Stylites. Much of the structure on the right hand side of the great doorway has been severely damaged by the blast on 12 May 2016.

While the world watches Palmyra, another of Syria’s heritage sites risks destruction

The Church of Saint Simeon near Aleppo is the greatest treasure of the Christian-Byzantine era in Syria – but it’s suffered extensive damage

20 May 2016

We should all get behind the #Unite4Heritage campaign

Heritage groups around the world need to harness social media to spread their message. This campaign makes that much easier

12 May 2016

The Endeavour won’t tell us anything new about Cook’s voyage, but that’s not the point

The ship that took Captain Cook around the world ended up as the ‘Lord Sandwich’ at the bottom of Newport Harbour

9 May 2016

Why the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s stolen art may never be found

Unfortunately, some stolen works are simply too famous to sell, and too dangerous to keep

4 May 2016

Drawing in museums is a form of respect – let’s not ruin it

It’s annoying that we can’t sketch knickers at the V&A, but more annoying that footfall takes precedence over engagement

30 Apr 2016

Can we trust in museum trustees?

Trustees serve a vital purpose in the culture sector, but only if politicians avoid the temptation to meddle…

29 Apr 2016
Chisenhale Gallery has closed its doors for the full duration of conceptual artist Maria Eichhorn's solo show...

A London gallery has shut its doors in the name of art. Is that acceptable?

If you want to see Maria Eichhorn’s solo show at Chisenhale Gallery – you can’t. Believe it or not, it’s more than a gimmick

28 Apr 2016

Big Lebowski pad acquired by LACMA

The LA museum has acquired its first home – what does this unusual architectural acquisition mean for the city?

27 Apr 2016

One year on: an update from Nepal’s earthquake-damaged heritage sites

Restoration work will take years, and some monuments will never be rebuilt – but progress is being made

It’s easy to turn a blind eye to homelessness. Can art make people stop and listen?

Bekki Perriman’s project for Brighton Festival tells a different story about life on the streets

26 Apr 2016

It would cost £15m to keep this Italian drawing in the UK. Here’s why it matters

Veronese’s preparatory sketch for Venice Triumphant (c. 1581) has a long history here

25 Apr 2016
The Museum of London, where a new concert hall is to be developed.

If you want to be mayor, you really ought to know more about London’s museums

Goldsmith and Khan clearly aren’t museum buffs – and that could be a real problem

22 Apr 2016

Spotlight on Seattle, where Asian and Western art collide

The Association for Asian Studies chose Seattle for its annual conference this year, and with good reason

20 Apr 2016

Palmyra’s legacy is everywhere – and ISIS could never have erased it

The city’s ancient ruins inspired buildings around the world, many of which are now heritage sites themselves

14 Apr 2016

Very clever software, but not great art

The techno-connoisseurship involved in the ‘Next Rembrandt’ project is fun and interesting, so what’s the problem?

11 Apr 2016

Drastic reform is the only way to save England’s churches

Good news, then, that the Chancellor is forming a task force to look into the issue

4 Apr 2016

Forget digital recreations. Palmyra’s own future must come first

Syrian government forces have recaptured Palmyra from IS militants. What happens next is crucial

31 Mar 2016

The legendary bookseller of Cairo

The death of Cairo’s self-styled ‘friend of researchers’ feels like another great loss at an already difficult time

29 Mar 2016

In Moscow, art speaks truth to power…sometimes

Artists and museums in the Russian capital testify to the uneasy relationship between art and the state

25 Mar 2016

Three cheers for Bob Rauschenberg!

The artist’s foundation is going to give away images of his work. We salute them

24 Mar 2016

Can the UK government’s Culture White Paper live up to its own rhetoric?

DCMS’s updated mission statement for ‘Our Culture’ sounds promising, but is short on new commitments

23 Mar 2016

Museums must engage in the Brexit debate – whether they like it or not

There is more than you might think at stake for arts and culture in this referendum

7 Mar 2016