A former tech contractor at the British Museum reportedly shut down some of its IT systems, causing the museum to close some galleries and exhibitions. He allegedly gained access to an unauthorized area of the British Museum last week and turned off some of its IT systems after being dismissed by the museum.
A spokesperson for the museum told The Register: "An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems. Police attended, and he was arrested at the scene. "We are working hard to get the museum back to being fully operational but with regret our temporary exhibitions have been closed today (January 25) and will remain so over the weekend – ticket holders have been alerted and refunds offered."
The Met added: "Police swiftly attended and arrested a man in his 50s at the scene on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage. He has been bailed pending further inquiries." The British Museum is located in the Bloomsbury area of London and was founded in 1753. It has collections of historical artifacts from around the world and is home to the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Marbles, and the Younger Memnon bust of Ramesses II among other key exhibits. Its diverse collection has led to some criticism, with calls for cultural artifacts to be returned to their country of origin on numerous occasions.
