Mood of optimism “extinguished”, Arts Council head says

We track down the works of art that British agents spy at their London HQ

Encyclopaedic show was inspired by former director Neil MacGregor's A History of the World in 100 Objects

Two-year transformation, starting next summer, will open up the London gallery’s historic Great Room

Pre-auction assessment offers evidence that painting is original Leonardo but also reveals problems posed by painting’s wooden panel

Salvator Mundi will break Old Master auction record as seller dispute rumbles on

From the British Museum's Lion Man to Matisse's studio studies at the Royal Academy

Insect was presumably already dead as paint shows no signs of a struggle to escape

German-born curator hits back against “baseless” accusations of a conflict of interest

Earliest surviving figurative sculpture, carved from mammoth tusk, is among 160 objects in Living with Gods

Construction delays to the Zayed National Museum are behind the move

Renaissance manuscript with gold binding is being sold by London jeweller

Architect Kengo Kuma says he hopes the Scottish museum will become a “living room” for city’s residents

V&A and National Trust hoped to buy Clive of India’s treasures

What will happen when the only painting in private hands by the Renaissance master heads to auction? Plus: the New Museum's big new show on gender, and our literary editor talks 18th-century princesses

New collection displays fill renovated building after two-year closure

Tristram Hunt had already voiced concerns before Saturday’s incident

Exhibition including 124 works is largest in Europe and America in almost 30 years

The British Museum show will examine the French artist’s obsession with its most famous exhibits

Heritage Lottery Fund warns of cutbacks to awards over £5m in next five-year plan

New legislation will remove legal restrictions that prevent many museums from deaccessioning works

Show featuring Mexican artist’s distinctive clothing, hidden for 50 years, is among highlights of museum’s 2018 programme

The British Museum’s director has bold plans to redisplay galleries and move stored collections out of London

Artefacts from ancient civilisations will be united for first time and more space given to Oceania, the Americas and Africa

Detectives have been redeployed to work on Grenfell Tower investigation

Willem van Gogh, the great grandson of Theo, the artist’s brother, will also speak in the presentation

After heading museums in Britain and Germany, he became more politically engaged

Pre-Columbian treasure, presented by Panamanian president in 1953, could date from as early as AD700

UK entrepreneur Andrew Brownsword is lending a Sisley painting of the Thames

Contrary to media reports, Tristram Hunt says museum is "very passionate" about unlocking its collections online