The London Science Museum has terminated its partnership with BP, ending a relationship spanning decades. The museum announced Friday that it would not renew its contract with the oil and gas company when the current term expires.
Sir Ian Blatchford, director and chief executive of the Science Museum Group, stated the partnership had "drawn to a close at the end of the current contract term." The decision marks what campaigners describe as a "seismic shift" for the institution, reflecting mounting pressure from environmental advocates and civil society groups to sever ties with fossil fuel companies.
BP funded the Science Museum's gallery dedicated to energy and the environment, providing both financial backing and educational resources. The company's branding and influence extended into school programs and public exhibitions for nearly thirty years. Environmental organizations have long criticized such partnerships as "greenwashing," arguing they allow oil and gas firms to rehabilitate their public image while continuing to extract fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases.
The Science Museum's decision follows intensifying activism against corporate sponsorships from the fossil fuel industry. Similar campaigns have targeted other cultural institutions, museums, and universities that accept funding from coal, oil, and gas companies. In recent years, the British Museum, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and several universities have ended or announced plans to end fossil fuel partnerships under pressure from activists and their own staff members.
The Science Museum Group operates the flagship London museum plus several regional institutions. Its academy, launched in 2018, provides teacher training and educational resources focused on science and technology careers. BP's sponsorship helped fund these programs, embedding the company's messaging within science education across the UK.
Environmental groups have argued that accepting fossil fuel money while simultaneously displaying exhibits about climate change creates a fundamental contradiction. They contend that oil and gas companies use museum partnerships to normalize their operations and influence public perception during a period when the world must rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.
Britain's Climate Change Committee has repeatedly warned that fossil fuel emissions must decline sharply this decade to meet the country's net-zero target by 2050. The UK currently derives roughly a quarter of its electricity from fossil fuels, down from over 70 percent two decades ago. Renewable energy sources now generate nearly half the nation's power.
BP, one of the world's largest oil majors, has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, but critics argue the company continues expanding fossil fuel production. In 2022, BP reported record profits as global oil prices surged, returning substantial cash to shareholders while investing modestly in renewable energy relative to its overall spending.
The Science Museum's decision reflects broader institutional reckoning with fossil fuel partnerships. Other major cultural organizations in Europe and North America have made similar moves, signaling changing attitudes toward accepting oil and gas money. The move does not immediately reveal replacement funding sources for the museum's energy programs, though the institution has indicated its commitment to continuing science education initiatives.