British Museum under fire after priceless 300-year-old Chinese artefact mysteriously falls and smashes

Damage to Chinese relics sparks fears of diplomatic row

The damage occurred on 4 October in Room 95, home to the museum’s collection of Chinese ceramics, according to Chinese news outlet The Paper.

A porcelain bowl, believed to be around 300 years old, reportedly fell from its display shelf and struck a smaller box beneath it. 

The impact damaged both objects, with the museum now investigating how the accident happened.

The bowl was made during the Kangxi period of China’s Qing dynasty, which lasted from 1662 to 1722. 

The second artefact is a small porcelain box decorated with a Buddha’s hand citron, peach branches and camellias. 

News of the damage has since spread online in China, where some users have criticised the incident and renewed demands for Chinese cultural objects held by overseas institutions to be returned. 

The backlash has also raised concerns that the incident could develop into a diplomatic dispute.

Student calls for tighter visitor controls

Visitors were reportedly asked to leave the gallery while staff dealt with the incident. An international student told Chinese newspaper New Express that the room was crowded when it was suddenly evacuated around midday.

When the gallery reopened, she noticed that both objects had disappeared from their usual displays.

“After the hall reopened, I no longer saw exhibit B629 on display, and exhibit 634 was also missing,” she said.

She described the damage as heartbreaking given the value of the artefacts and called on the museum to improve its control over visitors.

British Museum insists safeguards are in place

A British Museum spokesperson confirmed that the bowl and box had been damaged. In a statement to The Telegraph, the museum said the bowl had fallen onto the shelf below, where the box was displayed. 

An initial inspection found no signs that the shelf or its mount had failed, although the museum said it would continue investigating the cause.

Both pieces have since been handed to the museum’s conservation specialists for restoration.

The spokesperson said the institution took the protection of its collection seriously and had strict safeguards in place to reduce the risk of similar incidents.

Despite the museum’s assurances, the damage has caused a backlash online in China. 

Some users have argued that Chinese cultural objects should be returned to their country of origin, adding to wider debate over the ownership and display of historic artefacts held by museums overseas.