British Museum Ball 2026 returns
The British Museum has confirmed the return of its flagship fundraising event, with the British Museum Ball 2026 set to take place on Saturday 17 October. Following the success of last year’s inaugural gala, the event will once again bring together figures from the worlds of culture, fashion, business, and philanthropy in support of the Museum’s long-term redevelopment plans.
Award-winning artist and designer Es Devlin has been appointed Artistic Director for this year’s Ball, bringing her distinctive multidisciplinary approach to an evening designed to combine performance, visual art, history and contemporary design.
The event will draw inspiration from three major exhibitions opening at the Museum this autumn. These include the highly anticipated loan of the Bayeux Tapestry, a display marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, and a major exhibition exploring 2,000 years of Korean creativity.
The organisers have chosen red as the visual theme for the evening, describing it as the earliest pigment used in human artistic expression. The colour also reflects elements found across each of the featured exhibitions, from the embroidered threads of the Bayeux Tapestry and the stripes of the American flag to historic Korean artworks.
WorldQuant Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Igor Tulchinsky will serve as honorary chair for the evening in recognition of his support for the Bayeux Tapestry project.
The Museum says funds raised during the Ball will support its ambitious Masterplan, a long-term programme to modernise the Grade I listed institution while improving how visitors experience its collections.
Alongside supporting the redevelopment programme, additional donations from the event will help fund free packed lunches for every organised school group visiting the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.
The inaugural British Museum Ball in 2025 attracted almost 900 guests, with the Museum reporting that around 70 per cent were first-time attendees. The event raised more than £2.5 million, helping support the Museum’s international partnerships.
The 2026 Ball forms part of a wider programme of high-profile exhibitions that are expected to make this autumn one of the busiest cultural seasons in the Museum’s recent history.
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