The restitution of cultural heritage will race ahead in 2025
Britain could end up losing its marbles
By Max Norman, Culture correspondent, The Economist
The Parthenon Marbles have not budged from the literal and figurative centre of the British Museum in London since they were purchased from Lord Elgin in 1816. The sculptures—about half of the marbles that survive from the temple in Athens—have also been at the centre of the world’s most famous dispute over cultural property since Greece formally demanded their return in 1983.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition of The World Ahead 2025 under the headline “Losing your marbles”
Discover more
By Invitation: Culture in 2025
Tristram Hunt explains why museums are turning themselves inside out
Opening up museums’ storehouses can improve transparency and accountability, says the director of the V&A
Culture in 2025
China’s ultra-short dramas will enjoy long-term success
Entertaining and innovative, micro-dramas are flourishing both at home and abroad in 2025
Culture in 2025
Streaming slows to a trickle in 2025
Pay more, watch less: TV’s golden era comes to an end
Culture in 2025
American football’s growing global ambitions
The National Football League will play more games abroad in 2025 than ever before
Culture in 2025
Jane Austen, still universally acknowledged at 250
The anniversary of her birth will be widely commemorated
Culture in 2025
Video games are the next big thing in film and television
The built-in audience is already huge