The Inaugural British Museum Ball will be ‘London’s version of the Met Gala’
The British Museum will host its inaugural Ball this Autumn. The landmark, annual event will celebrate London’s status as one of the world’s leading cultural capitals and establish a new highlight on the international social calendar.
Chaired by arts patron and business woman, Isha Ambani, together with director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE and the Trustees of the British Museum, the BM Ball promises to be one of the most distinguished new fixtures in London’s cultural season. Timed to coincide with the close of Frieze London and the BFI London Film Festival, the evening will draw the world’s leading creatives, collectors, and cultural visionaries. A star-studded Ball Committee of over 100 features global icons including Naomi Campbell, Zadie Smith, Idris Elba, Edward Enninful, Miuccia Prada and Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani (more details below).
The theme for 2025 is pink, drawing inspiration from the colours and light of India, presented in conjunction with the British Museum’s critically acclaimed exhibition, Ancient India: Living Traditions which will conclude the weekend of the ball. The sold-out fundraiser will transform the Museum as never before. Guests will arrive to a drinks reception and speeches in the iconic Great Court, before taking their seats for dinner at tables set amid some of the most spectacular objects in the Museum collection. A silent auction will run throughout the evening, featuring truly extraordinary lots - offering guests the chance to support the Museum in unique and memorable ways. The evening will feature remarkable music performances by the masterful sitarist, Grammy nominated Anoushka Shankar and Grammy Winning conductor and composer Jules Buckley. The Jules Buckley Orchestra will be joined by very special guests, to be announced in due course.
While the Ball will shine a spotlight on London as a global centre of creativity and culture, it will also raise vital funds to support the British Museum’s international partnerships. Over the past year alone, more than eight million people saw a British Museum object outside the capital. With the support of the Ball, the Museum can do even more to fulfil its ambition of making the collection the most accessible and widely shared in the world.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the British Museum and founder of the Ball, said: 'When the British Museum became the first public national museum in the world in 1753, it was because London had the most international audience. That is as true today as it was then. London is globally renowned for its arts, culture, creativity and style. It is a city where history and innovation coexist, and everyone is welcome. The British Museum Ball celebrates this dynamism, and we're delighted to have collaborated with Isha Ambani to make it happen. It will be an incredible gathering of artists, designers, collectors and cultural icons from around the globe, across the galleries of the British Museum, which have welcomed hundreds of millions of visitors for free for nearly 275 years. This is a celebration not only of this extraordinary institution and our shared humanity, but of our city and country – a global crossroads and a creative powerhouse.'
Isha Ambani, Co-Chair of this year's Ball, said: 'I am honoured to be the Co-Chair of the inaugural Pink Ball at the British Museum, set amidst the extraordinary exhibition Ancient India: living traditions illustrating how significantly early devotional art from India has influenced global contemporary culture. This incredible event celebrates the rich creative legacy of India and furthers cultural conversations globally, deepening mutual respect and understanding.'
The full Committee List for the 2025 BM Ball:
• Saffron Aldridge
• Manav Angelo
• Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
• Imran Amed MBE
• Lady Bamford
• Eiesha Bharti Pasricha
• Kumar Mangalam Birla
• Manolo Blahnik CBE
• Erica Bolton OBE
• James Boulter
• Helen Brocklebank
• The Countess of Burlington
• Naomi Campbell
• The Marchioness of Cholmondeley
• Nathan Clements-Gillespie
• Alexa Chung
• Jasper Conran OBE
• Sophie Dahl
• Duchess di Carcaci
• Edmund de Waal CBE
• Giles Deacon
• Idris Elba
• Touria El Glaoui
• Edward Enninful OBE
• Dr Maya Even
• Dr Katherine Fleming
• The Rt Hon the Lord Foster of Thames Bank
• The Lady Foster
• Simon Fox
• Bella Freud
• Sir Stephen Fry
• Lina Ghotmeh
• Sophie Goodwin
• The Hon Daphne Guinness
• Daniella Helayel
• Roksanda Ilincic MBE
• Dr Amin Jaffer
• Bianca Jagger
• Pamela J Joyner
• Sonam Kapoor
• Suhair Khan
• Sarah Lancashire CBE OBE
• Hew Locke OBE RA
• Gianluca Longo
• Courtney Love
• Yulia Mahr
• Sir Steve McQueen CBE OBE
• John Micklethwait CBE
• Martina Mondadori
• Erdem Moralioglu MBE
• Sabyasachi Mukherjee
• Roisin Murphy
• Lady Alison Myners CBE
• Rajiv Nathwani
• Eugenie Niarchos
• Professor David Olusoga OBE
• Midge Palley OBE
• Sir Alan Parker CBE
• Sophia Pasetti
• Andrea Petochi
• Yana Peel
• Sir Grayson Perry CBE RA
• Miuccia Prada
• Durjoy Rahman
• Rajeeb Samdani
• Nadia Samdani MBE
• Lauren Santo Domingo
• Julia Sarr-Jamois
• Robin Scott-Lawson
• Dame Kristin Scott Thomas DBE OBE
• Elif Shafak
• The Lady Shaw Ruddock CBE
• Sir Paul Ruddock FSA
• Justine Simons OBE
• Zadie Smith FRSL
• Jane Suitor
• Francis Sultana
• Philip Treacy OBE
• Rose Uniacke
• Lawrence Van Hagen
• Count Nikolai von Bismarck
• Tim Walker FRPS
• Laura Weinstock Sykes
• Sian Westerman OBE
• Louise Wilson
• The Countess of Woolton
• Baroness Rogers of Riverside CBE
• The Countess of Rosebery
• The Rt Hon The Earl of Rosebery DL
When: Saturday 18th October 2025
Where: The British Museum
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