New date confirmed for postponed British Museum ancient Israel lecture

A British Museum talk on the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah will take place this week, after organisers confirmed a new date for the event following its postponement last month.

The lecture, part of Jewish Culture Month, had been due to take place on 28 May but was delayed after the museum said it had concerns that a “significant proportion” of registered attendees intended to disrupt the event.

The British Museum has now confirmed that ‘Ancient Israel and Judah in the British Museum’ will be held on Thursday, 11 June, from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

The event will also be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.

At the time of the postponement, the museum said the decision had been taken following discussions with organisers and security partners.

A spokesperson said: “Following discussions with organisers and security partners, a joint decision was taken to postpone the event to a later date when it can take place in an environment that properly safeguards both the audience experience and the integrity of the programme itself.”

The lecture will explore how archaeological evidence has helped historians understand the ancient Hebrew-speaking kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which occupied a central place in Jewish history.

It will be led by Dr Paul Collins, the British Museum’s Keeper of the Department of the Middle East.

The postponement prompted concern among some Jewish community figures, who questioned why a talk focused on Jewish history could not proceed as planned.

Tickets for the rescheduled event are expected to be in high demand.