The British Museum names Nicholas Cullinan its new director as it tries to get over a rocky patch

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The British Museum has appointed Nicholas Cullinan as its new director. It comes as the 265-year-old institution grapples with the apparent theft of hundreds of artifacts and growing international scrutiny of its collection. Previous director Hartwig Fischer resigned in August after the museum disclosed that more than 1,800 items were missing in an apparent case of insider theft. The museum fired curator Paul Higgs over the missing items and is suing him at the High Court. Cullinan is currently director of the National Portrait Gallery and will take up his new job in the summer. Cullinan said it was an honor to become director of “one of the greatest museums in the world.”