British Museum

Just before noon, the meeting was followed by a string quartet in the museum’s iconic covered courtyard, playing ‘Requiem for Sinking Cities’. The piece was a reworking of classical music previously played outside Shell’s London headquarters with Charlotte Church in protest at their involvement in Arctic oil drilling. The performance included the delivery of over 25,000 messages from people opposed to the British Museum’s decision to renew BP’s sponsorship for five more years.  

Just before noon, the meeting was followed by a string quartet in the museum’s iconic covered courtyard, playing ‘Requiem for Sinking Cities’. The piece was a reworking of classical music previously played outside Shell’s London headquarters with Charlotte Church in protest at their involvement in Arctic oil drilling. The performance included the delivery of over 25,000 messages from people opposed to the British Museum’s decision to renew BP’s sponsorship for five more years.  

The ‘Sunken Cities’ showcase – which opened this morning – displays artefacts recovered from two ancient cities submerged under the Mediterranean. But in what campaigners call ‘a stunning irony’ the exhibition is being used to promote oil company BP.