The British Museum had to close some of its doors to visitors Friday, after a former employee allegedly succeeded in shutting down elements of its IT system.
The BBC reports that the museum’s disruption was caused by a contractor entering the building and accessing the IT network before being arrested.
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that a man in his fifties had been arrested Thursday evening at the museum.
As a result of the incident, some galleries were closed Friday, along with some temporary exhibitions.
The BBC quotes a spokesperson for the museum saying:
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“An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems.
“Police attended and he was arrested at the scene.
“We are working hard to get the museum back to being fully operational but with regret our temporary exhibitions have been closed today and will remain so over the weekend – ticket holders have been alerted and refunds offered.”
The British Museum was stablished in 1753, the country’s first public national museum. It houses the world’s largest collection of artefacts dedicated human history, art and culture, with a permanent exhibition of more than eight million works.
Its priceless artefacts include the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles (renamed the Parthenon Sculptures by those who believe they should be returned to Greece) and the remnants of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial from Sutton Hoo.
The BBC adds that it was last year named the UK’s top visitor attraction, receiving nearly six million visitors in 2023.
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