Science Museum Group ends long-standing partnership with BP

The Science Museum Group has ended its long-standing partnership with the oil and gas company BP. Sir Ian Blatchford, the Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group, stated that the partnership has “drawn to a close at the end of the current contract term.”

The Science Museum Group Academy, established in 2018 to provide training and resources, will see the association conclude following the end of the current contract. Blatchford noted that BP’s contributions had supported research-informed science engagement training for over 11,000 professionals and reached more than a million young people across the UK.

The decision follows previous scrutiny from campaigners who accused BP of having an “insidious influence” over STEM education through its relationship with the museum. This move follows a similar 2024 decision by the museum to sever ties with the oil company Equinor over its failure to meet carbon emission reduction targets.