LONDON.- The British Museum's inaugural Ball has raised more than £2.5 million, a landmark moment in the Museum's history that secures vital funding for its international partnerships.

The figure incorporates the generous support of table hosts and guests, donations made on the night and proceeds from the Ball's silent auction.

During the evening, the British Museum was able to announce an extraordinary £10.3 million pledge from the Garfield Weston Foundation. This major contribution will enable the Museum to move forward with its Visitor Welcome Programme, which includes new Visitor Welcome Pavilions at both the North and South entrances. The programme will create a world-class visitor welcome through cutting-edge design, horticulture and a reimagining of the Museum's famous forecourt.

Chaired by arts patron and businesswoman Isha Ambani, alongside Director Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, the Ball welcomed nearly 900 guests, 70% of whom were new to the Museum, including leading cultural figures. The Museum was transformed for the night, inspired by the critically acclaimed exhibition Ancient India: living traditions.

Guests in attendance included Sir Mick Jagger, Janet Jackson, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, James Norton, Maya Jama, Erin O'Connor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chloe Kelly, Leah Williamson OBE, Sir Steve McQueen, the Mayor of London and members of the diverse and influential Ball Committee, such as Naomi Campbell, Edward Enninful OBE, Dame Tracey Emin and Sir Grayson Perry.

Arriving at the Museum, guests walked the pink carpet up to the iconic south façade and colonnade. Speeches were made in the Great Court by the Director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Co-Chair Isha Ambani and Chair of Trustees, George Osborne, who announced the extraordinary £10.3 million pledge from the Garfield Weston Foundation. A dazzling performance from Grammy-nominated sitarist Anoushka Shankar followed, accompanied by the Grammy award-winning Jules Buckley Orchestra.

Guests were invited to take their seats for dinner at tables set amid some of the most spectacular objects in the Museum collection. A menu inspired by the rich flavours of India was served throughout a number of the ground floor galleries in artisanal, hand-painted tiffin tins.

Meanwhile, the silent auction offered unique lots that included a pet portrait by British artist and Museum Trustee Dame Tracey Emin, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum's scientific research laboratories and the Greek and Roman collections with Dame Professor Mary Beard. Other prizes included an opportunity to be among the first to see the monumental Bayeux Tapestry when it arrives on loan next year, and a private dinner and tour of the British Museum, personally led by the Director.

Following dinner, guests were invited back into the Great Court for further entertainment, again led by the Jules Buckley Orchestra who welcomed onto the stage special guests, Ivor Novello award-winner Tom Odell and Grammy award-nominated M.I.A. Celebrated artists in their own right, they performed some of their defining hits with Buckley and his orchestra to the backdrop of one of London's most revered architectural spaces.

Guests also viewed the 'Tudor Heart', a spectacular gold pendant linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, as the British Museum launched a campaign to save it for the nation last week. Elsewhere, James Righton (Klaxons) delivered a DJ set by the Museum's south staircase.

The Ball's proceeds will directly support the Museum's international partnerships, which include projects and collaborations with institutions from Ghana to Armenia and Iraq to India. These range from archaeological research at Girsu and Benin City, to pioneering curatorial collaborations with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai. The Museum's International Training Programme also continues to equip the next generation of curators to protect and share heritage worldwide.

The inaugural British Museum Ball has now set a new benchmark for philanthropic and cultural celebration, bringing together leading figures from art, design, fashion, entertainment and public life in support of a shared global mission and to celebrate London's status as one of the world's leading cultural capitals.