The keepers are heads of the various departments of the British Museum. They are professional curators and related academics. There are currently nine departments plus the Portable Antiquities Scheme that have keepers.
Keepers of Africa, Oceania and the Americas The Keeper of Africa, Oceania and the Americas is head of the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas (Department of Ethnography until 2004).
1953–1969: Adrian Digby 1969–1974: William Buller Fagg 1974–1990: Malcolm McLeod 1991–2004: John Mack 2005-2012: J. C. H. King 2012–present: Lissant Bolton
Keepers of Egypt and Sudan The Keeper of Egypt and Sudan is head of the Department of Egypt and Sudan (formerly Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities, Department of Egyptian Antiquities, and Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan).
1893–1924: E. A. Wallis Budge 1924–1930: Henry Hall 1931–1948: Sidney Smith 1948–1955: C. J. Gadd 1955–1974: I. E. S. Edwards 1974–1988: T. G. H. James 1988–2011: Vivian Davies 2012–2021: Neal Spencer 2021–present: Daniel Antoine
Keepers of Asia The Keeper of Asia is head of the Department of Asia (until 2003, the Department of Oriental Antiquities).
1946–1969: Basil Gray 1969–1977 Douglas Barrett 1977–1987 Lawrence Smith 1987–1994: Jessica Rawson 1994–2006: Robert Knox 2006–2014: Jan Stuart 2014–present: Jane Portal
Keepers of Japanese Antiquities The Keeper of Japanese Antiquities was head of the Department of Japanese Antiquities. That department merged with the Department of Oriental Antiquities to form the Department of Asia.
1987–1997: Lawrence R. H. Smith 1997–2003: Victor Harris
Keepers of Britain, Europe and Prehistory The Keeper of Britain, Europe and Prehistory is the head of the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory (previously known as the Department of Europe and Prehistory)
2003–2007: Leslie Webster 2012–2015: Roger Bland 2015–present: Jill Cook
Keepers of British and Medieval Antiquities The Keeper of British and Medieval Antiquities was the head of the Department of British and Medieval Antiquities (Department of British and Medieval Antiquities and Ethnography until 1921).
1866–1896: Augustus Wollaston Franks 1896–1921: Sir Charles Hercules Read 1921–1928: Ormonde Maddock Dalton
Keepers of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities The Keeper of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities was head of the Department of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities. The department was created from the Department of British and Medieval Antiquities in 1969.
1973–1995: Ian Heaps Longworth 1995–2000: Timothy W. Potter
Keepers of Medieval and Later Antiquities The Keeper of Medieval and Later Antiquities was head of the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities. The department was created from the Department of British and Medieval Antiquities in 1969.
1975–1998: Neil Stratford
Keepers of Coins and Medals The Keeper of Coins and Medals is head of the Department of Coins and Medals.
1861–1870: William Sandys Wright Vaux 1870–1893: Reginald Stuart Poole 1893–1906: Barclay V. Head 1906–1912: Herbert Appold Grueber 1912–1931: George Francis Hill 1931–1949: John Allan 1949–1952: Stanley Robinson 1952–1964: John Walker 1965–1978: G. Kenneth Jenkins 1978–1983: Robert Carson 1983–1990: John Kent 1990–1992: Mark Jones 1992–2003: Andrew Burnett 2003–2010: Joe Cribb 2010–2020: Philip Attwood 2020–2022: Jane Portal; Acting Keeper 2022-present: Tom Hockenhull
Keepers of Conservation
The Keeper of Conservation and Scientific Research is head of the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research.
1975–1979: Harold Barker; Keeper of Conservation and Technical Services 1979 - 1981: Michael W. Pascoe, Keeper of Conservation 1985–2002: Andrew Oddy; Keeper of Conservation 2002–2005: Sheridan Bowman; Keeper of Conservation, Documentation and Science 2005–2015: David Saunders; Keeper of Conservation and Scientific Research 2015-present: Carl Heron
Keepers of Greece and Rome The Keeper of Greece and Rome is head of the Department of Greece and Rome. It was formerly known as the Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities.
1861–1885: Charles Thomas Newton 1886–1904: Alexander Stuart Murray 1904–1909: Cecil Harcourt Smith 1909–1925: Arthur Smith 1925–1932: Henry Beauchamp Walters 1932–1936: John Forsdyke 1936–1939: Frederick N. Pryce 1939–1956: Bernard Ashmole 1956–1976: D. E. L. Haynes 1976–1993: Brian Cook 1993–2007: Dyfri Williams 2007–2023: Lesley Fitton 2023-present: Thomas Harrison
Keepers of the Middle East The Keeper of the Middle East is head of the Department of the Middle East (formerly Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities, then Department of Ancient Near East).
1955–1974: Richard David Barnett 1974–1983: Edmond Sollberger 1985–1989: Terence Croft Mitchell 1989–2011: John Curtis 2012–2022: Jonathan N. TubbJonathan Tubb obituary, by James Fraser, The Guardian 24 Dec 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/dec/24/jonathan-tubb-obituary Accessed 23 Jun 2926 Current: Paul Collins
Keepers of Portable Antiquities and Treasure Keeper of Portable Antiquities and Treasure is head of the Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure, and head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
2005–2013: Roger Bland
Keepers of Prints and Drawings The Simon Sainsbury Keeper of Prints and Drawings is head of the Department of Prints and Drawings.
1833–1836: William Young Ottley 1836–1845: Henry Josi 1845–1866: William Hookham Carpenter 1866–1883: George William Reid 1883–1912: Sidney Colvin 1912–1932: Campbell Dodgson 1933–1945: Arthur Mayger Hind 1945–1954: Arthur E. Popham 1954–1973: Edward Croft-Murray 1973–1981: John Gere 1981–1991: John Rowlands 1991–2011: Antony Griffiths 2011–present: Hugo Chapman
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