British Museum receives landmark £103m bequest

The British Museum has received a significant donation of artefacts valued at £103.3m, thanks to a bequest from Sir Joseph Hotung, a Hong Kong businessman, collector and philanthropist.

The legacy was first announced in 2022, shortly after Hotung died in December 2021.

The collection has been donated in partnership with the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art and includes a large collection of Chinese jades, blue-and-white porcelains, and other rare artefacts.

Hotung was a trustee of the British Museum from 1994 to 2004 and had made many previous donations to the museum.

The Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia at the museum was opened in 1992 by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

British Museum Chair George Osborne said: "This is one of the most generous gifts we’ve ever received, and it means future generations will be able to enjoy these beautiful objects and learn more about the extraordinary history of China."

Hotung’s family said in a statement: "We are pleased that our father’s collections will now be viewed by the millions of visitors who pass through the museum every year."