British Museum Updates Ancient Middle East Displays

(MENAFN) The British Museum has removed the word Palestine from its exhibits about the ancient Middle East following "concerns" raised by a UK-based Israeli advocacy group.

The museum confirmed that it is in the process of reviewing and refreshing several gallery panels and labels after "Audience testing has shown that the historic use of the term Palestine … is in some circumstances no longer meaningful," according to a statement issued on Saturday by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).

The organization argued that there were "historically inaccurate" mentions of Palestine in displays covering the ancient Levant and Egypt. They maintained that using a single term over thousands of years "erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity."

In response to these objections, a British Museum spokesperson stated that panels and labels are being examined and revised individually. "For example, the information panels in the Levant gallery, covering the period 2000-300 BC, have all been updated to describe in some detail the history of Canaan and the Canaanites and the rise of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel using those names."

Additionally, "A revised text devoted to the Phoenicians was installed in early 2025," the spokesperson added.

A media outlet reported that the reference to "Palestinian descent" on the Hyksos panel has been altered to read "Canaanite descent."

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