BM_ARC

The British Museum Archaeological Research Collection, or BM_ARC is much more than a storage facility: it will also play an important role in the ongoing strategic partnership with the University of Reading, local schools outreach and public engagement, programmes to lend the British Museum collection more widely, and future research collaborations.

Research is one of the most important means by which the Museum fulfils its obligation to generate public benefit from the collection and the scale and breadth of the Museum’s holdings are ideal to address large questions about people and cultures through time. University partnerships enhance the expertise applied to studying the collection and expand the potential for cross-disciplinary collaboration and sharing of technology and resources.

The £90M facility was part-funded by the UK government through the Blythe House project, and part funded through philanthropic support. It was designed by John McAslan + Partners and built within the Thames Valley Science Park on land leased from the University of Reading. The building footprint is about 2.5 football pitches. The area is rapidly transforming into a major science and culture hub with the dramatic expansion of the Shinfield film studios and the upcoming move of 30M specimens to the site by the Natural History Museum.

The building is designed to minimize energy use and runs only on electricity. Photovoltaic cells provide approximately 30% of the energy consumption and tests have successfully reduced energy input without compromising store temperatures or relative humidity. The most vulnerable materials are stored in the centre building where they are most buffered from environmental change.

The BM_ARC facility was made possible through the generosity of the following supporters, as well as many anonymous donors:

The Headley Trust, The BAND Trust, Graham and Joanna Barker, Jayne Wrightsman OBE, American Friends of the British Museum, Hintze Family Charitable Foundation, British Museum Friends and British Museum Patrons.