We can reveal that the British Museum is emerging as a possible new player in Olympicopolis. The museum is considering using the site for collections that are now stored at Blythe House, its main external store, in west London. The government announced plans to sell the building last year.
Officially, the British Museum is saying little. But it is looking for a large, publicly accessible storage facility. Asked about Olympicopolis, a spokeswoman says: “We are considering a range of options in response to the announcement of the closure of the Blythe House storage building, and exploratory conversations are being held with a number of other institutions.”
At Olympicopolis, the museum could show select collections in dense displays behind glass and offer regular tours of additional stores. The British Museum’s new director Hartwig Fischer will consider the idea when he begins his new role on 4 April.
