Museum of London Director receives award for services to Poland
9 December 2011
Professor Jack Lohman, Director of the Museum of London, was yesterday awarded the Bene Merito honorary distinction for his efforts promoting Poland abroad
The presentation was made by Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs at a gala dinner at the Museum of London to celebrate the launch of the Museum’s latest exhibition, ‘Dickens and London’.
Professor Jack Lohman was born in London to Polish parents and studied Architecture and Conservation in Warsaw. He continues to enjoy a close relationship with Poland and visits regularly. In addition to his role at the Museum of London, Professor Jack Lohman serves as Chairman of the National Museum in Warsaw and is a board member of the Second World War Museum in Gdansk. He is a respected international speaker on heritage, particularly that of London and Poland.
Professor Jack Lohman said: “It is an honour to receive the Bene Merito. I am immensely grateful to Minister Radoslaw Sikorski for awarding me this medal. Poland and the Polish people are very dear to me. Indeed Poland, where my parents were born, is as intrinsic to my identity as London - where I was born. It brings me great pleasure to serve as a cultural ambassador for both Poland and London. I am proud to have been recognised for my work to foster understanding and goodwill around the world. Poland and London have been close friends for many years. Long may it continue.”
1. For more information or images, please contact Andrew Marcus, PR Manager, Museum of London on 020 7814 5503 or amarcus@museumoflondon.org.uk
2. Museum of London, Museum of London Docklands and Museum of London Archaeology seek to inspire a passion for London. The Museums are open daily 10am – 6pm and are FREE to all.
3. The Bene Merito honorary distinction was established in November 2009 and is awarded for merits in promoting Poland abroad. Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, journalist, politician and former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs was the recipient of the first Bene-Merito distinction.
4. Biography
Jack Lohman was appointed Director of the Museum of London in August 2002. Born in London of Polish parents, Jack Lohman was educated at the University of East Anglia where he studied History of Art. He was awarded a scholarship to read architecture at the Freien Universitat in Berlin and later obtained an MA at the University of Manchester. He went on to win a British Council Fellowship Award to study Architecture and Conservation in Warsaw.
Before taking up his present appointment, Jack Lohman was the Chief Executive Officer of Iziko Museums of Cape Town, an organization consisting of fifteen national museums including the South African Museum, the South African Maritime Museum and the South African National Gallery. Here he led the creation of a new museum institution and transformed the national museum sector.
Jack Lohman was a Director of TVC Ltd, an award-winning film and audio-visual production company, and MET Studio, a multi-disciplinary design consultancy based in London, Singapore and Hong Kong. Between 1985 and 1994, he worked for English Heritage, developing museums and exhibitions both nationally and internationally. He is a former Chairman of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) UK 2002-2008 and a former member of the UK National Commission for UNESCO Culture Committee 2002-2010.
Professor Jack Lohman is a Professor of Museum Design and Communication at the Bergen National Academy of the Arts in Norway and Chairman of the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland. He is editor in chief of UNESCO’s publication series ‘Museums and Diversity’.
