British Museum Faces IT Disruption after Former Employee’s Alleged Trespass

British Museum Faces IT Disruption after Former Employee’s Alleged Trespass

The British Museum, a cornerstone of cultural heritage in the United Kingdom, experienced an unexpected partial closure due to an incident involving a former employee. This occurrence unfolded on Thursday evening when an ex-IT contractor allegedly trespassed into the museum premises, causing significant disruption to its security and IT systems. The Metropolitan Police promptly responded to the situation, arriving at the scene at 20:25 GMT.

The individual in question, a man in his 50s, was reportedly dismissed from his position as an IT contractor the previous week. Upon gaining unauthorized access to the museum, he allegedly shut down several of the institution's critical systems. This disruption led to the temporary suspension of operations within certain areas of the museum, including several galleries and three temporary exhibitions, such as Silk Roads and Picasso: Printmaker.

"Police swiftly attended and arrested a man in his 50s at the scene on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage," – A Met Police spokesman.

The British Museum, renowned for housing invaluable artifacts such as the Rosetta Stone, the Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo, and the Parthenon Sculptures, sees millions of visitors each year. In 2023 alone, it attracted 5,820,860 visitors, cementing its status as the top UK visitor attraction. However, due to the recent incident, the museum had to limit its capacity over the weekend. Priority was given to members and those who had pre-purchased tickets, with affected customers being contacted ahead of their visit.

"An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems." – A British Museum spokesman.

The museum's swift response to the incident ensured that necessary precautions were taken to safeguard visitors and staff. Despite some galleries and temporary exhibitions being inaccessible on Friday, the institution worked diligently to manage the situation. The man responsible for the disruption was subsequently arrested and has been bailed pending further inquiries.

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Alex Lorel

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