A new code of ethics was proposed by the Museums Association (MA), the membership body for museums and galleries in the United Kingdom, this week. Association members will vote on ratifying the changes beginning on September 15 until the organization’s annual conference on October 7.
Perhaps most notably, this marks the first time fossil fuel companies are mentioned. The guidelines recommend that museums should “Transition away from sponsorship from organisations involved with environmental harm (including fossil fuels), human rights abuses, and other sponsorship that does not align with the values of the museum.”
Instead, they should “Strive to secure funding from ethical sources that align with the values of the organisation and serve the best interests of communities.” And, additionally, it implores museums to “Consider climate and ecological impacts and social responsibility in all decision making.”
The last code of ethics by the MA was ratified in 2015, with the latest iteration mimicking updated government legislation in the nation.
Earlier this year, the UK adopted a law that bars licenses for new oil and gas projects that haven’t already been approved in an effort to further its new “clean energy future” plan. Seeing the new climate policy as a victory, the British protest group Just Stop Oil ended its demonstrations directly targeting museums and public spaces shortly thereafter.
A representative for Culture Unstained, a campaign against monetary relationships between arts organizations and fossil fuel companies, told Arts Professional: “This new code of ethics offers an opportunity to set a powerful new precedent, not just in the UK but internationally.
“If adopted, it would send a clear signal that sponsors fuelling and financing climate breakdown and human rights abuses cross an ethical red line – and are no longer welcome in our museums and galleries.”
Despite years of climate-related protests and sustained grassroots campaigns, an Ipsos poll showed that 77 percent of the British public are concerned about climate change.
While a number of British institutions such as Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, have already ended their relationships with fossil fuel companies like BP and Equinor, due to public pressure, others still rely on this kind of sponsorship.
The Science Museum in London and the British Museum, for example, were still receiving funding from fossil fuel companies as of early 2025. The Science Museum receives funding from both BP and Adani Green Energy, a subsidiary of the Adani Group, which is one of the largest private coal companies in the world; the British Museum has a 10-year sponsorship deal with BP that started in 2023.
“The Museum operates on public and private funding which ensures the magnificent collection stays on display to the public for centuries to come. We consider each donation or sponsorship on its own merits—in line with our policy—and as a public body have an obligation to ensure the long-term financial stability of the Museum by securing funding from a number of sources,” a spokesperson for the British Museum told the Art Newspaper.
It remains unclear if the pair will succumb to further pressure or remain steadfast in their current sponsorships.
