Mayor of London Sadiq Khan delivers a speech during London Tech Week at Olympia on June 08, 2026 in London, England.Getty Images

London Mayor Defends Free Entry to Museums, UK’s National Gallery Criticized, and More: Morning Links for August 4, 2026

by · ARTnews

To receive Morning Links in your inbox every weekday, sign up for our Breakfast with ARTnews newsletter.

Good Morning!

  • The National Gallery has been criticized after spending £250,000 on its NG Citizens program.
  • Royal Museums Greenwich staff have voted for industrial action over pay, conditions, and workplace reforms.
  • London‘s mayor has defended free entry to the capital’s national museums, arguing that culture should remain accessible regardless of income or background.

The Headlines

LAND OF THE FREE. London mayor Sadiq Khan has defended free entry to the capital’s national museums, arguing that culture should remain accessible regardless of income or background. In an op-ed for LBC, Khan said free admission transformed museum access, with visits rising significantly after charges were removed, while also boosting tourism and making museums vital public spaces. His comments come amid renewed debate over proposals to charge overseas visitors at England’s national museums. Supporters argue tourist fees could help address funding pressures, while critics warn they risk undermining the principle of museums as institutions open to all.

Kim Sajet Talks to the Times About the Smithsonian, and More: Morning Links for July 31, 2026A little over a year since Trump attempted to fire Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet, the art historian sat for an interview.George Nelson, Harrison Jacobs, 31 Jul 2026Japan’s Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum Accused of Whitewashing, and More: Morning Links for July 29, 2026Japan's Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum has been accused of whitewashing the country's wartime past.George Nelson, 29 Jul 2026

‘BARKING MAD.’ The UK’s National Gallery has been criticized after spending £250,000 on NG Citizens, a five-year citizens’ assembly designed to help shape the museum’s future, the Times of London reported. Fifty people, selected through a civic lottery to reflect the UK’s diversity—including some with no art background—will advise on the gallery’s priorities, though not acquisitions or curatorial decisions. Critics, including art experts and Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst, argue the initiative undermines professional expertise and call it “barking mad.” The gallery says the project is about strengthening public engagement and ensuring its future reflects a broader cross-section of society, not replacing expert decision-making.

The Digest

UNESCO has been urged to investigate feared damage to Lebanon’s World Heritage–listed Beaufort Castle after the Israeli military triggered explosions nearby. [The Art Newspaper]

A Scottish architect has launched a petition calling for the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art, twice devastated by fire, to be fully restored and transferred to an independent organization. [Artnet News]

Museum strikes are spreading across London as Royal Museums Greenwichstaff have voted for industrial action over pay, conditions, and workplace reforms. [Artforum]

An anonymous Belgian collector has loaned a rare René Magritte work to the Israel Museum as the artist’s iconic The Castle of the Pyrenees undergoes restoration after accidental damage. [Jerusalem Post]

The Kicker

PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN. A new BBC series called The Big Deal with Steph McGovern aims to pull back the curtain on the art market, exploring how artworks are discovered, valued, and sold. The six-part competition kicks off on August 13 and follows aspiring dealers as they navigate the business of buying and selling contemporary art, testing their instincts, commercial skills, and ability to spot emerging talent. The series seeks to challenge perceptions of the art world as exclusive or inaccessible.