Britain’s treasured museums and galleries are being left exposed to critical security threats, including sophisticated cyber-attacks and physical theft, according to a stark warning issued by MPs. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a report highlighting a significant failure by the government to implement a cohesive strategy to safeguard the nation’s priceless collections.
The committee’s concerns follow several high-profile security breaches, which have exposed serious vulnerabilities across the cultural sector. Notably, the British Museum revealed in recent years that approximately 2,000 artefacts had been stolen, damaged, or gone missing over an extended period, leading to the resignation of its director. In the same year, the British Library was severely impacted by a ransomware attack that crippled its digital services for months and resulted in the theft of sensitive staff and user data.
Despite these incidents, which underscore the urgent need for enhanced oversight of both physical security and digital infrastructure, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been unable to demonstrate concrete actions taken across the sector. MPs are calling for the government to outline specific measures institutions have adopted to mitigate these risks, including the wider adoption of digital record-keeping systems that could prevent items from disappearing unnoticed.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chair of the PAC, emphasised that cyber-attacks, theft, and fluctuating visitor numbers are just some of the challenges confronting museums and galleries. He stated that while these institutions are making strides towards financial resilience, a lack of centralised governmental support is leaving them vulnerable. The report also noted that despite a 53% real-terms increase in self-generated income to £563 million in 2024-25 compared to 2021-22, visitor numbers have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and institutions are grappling with rising staffing and energy costs, alongside a 16% real-terms reduction in government funding post-pandemic.
Further issues highlighted include a lack of clear metrics from DCMS to assess the value for money provided by museums and galleries to taxpayers. Governance concerns were also raised, with 15% of trustee positions vacant across 15 government-sponsored institutions as of October 2025, and appointment processes taking an average of 219 days – more than double the government's 90-day target. The PAC is urging DCMS to explain how it plans to ensure boards possess the necessary skills to oversee increasingly complex organisations.
The Labour Party has also weighed in, with earlier recommendations from Labour peer Margaret Hodge suggesting proposals to charge international visitors for entry to national museums, an idea the government is currently considering. This ongoing scrutiny of security and funding models reflects a growing national and international debate on how best to protect and sustain cultural heritage in an evolving threat landscape.