28th November, 2011
Dear Members,
I write to explain two major changes which you will notice in the programme of lectures under the auspices of the Society in 2012.
The British Museum has brought to an end, for financial reasons, the arrangement, from which the Society has benefitted for many years, under which we have been able to hold our lectures in the Museum on very generous terms in the evenings after the Museum has been closed to the general public.
From January 2012, all lectures organised by the Society in the British Museum will therefore be held earlier in the afternoon, either at 3 p.m. or (when in conjunction with the PEF) at 4 p.m.
In order to accommodate those members unable to attend early afternoon lectures, the Society has arranged approximately half its lecture programme at the customary time (6 p.m.) in other venues in Central London, primarily in King’s College in the Strand.
The Committee much regrets that this change has been necessary and is fully aware that these new arrangements may not be ideal for all members, but we look forward to welcoming members to the first AIAS 3 p.m. lecture in the British Museum on January 23rd (by Eli Oren) and the first 6 p.m. lecture in KCL on February 16th (by Gabriel Barkay), and we shall review the new arrangements at the end of the year in light of experience and comments from members.
With best wishes to all members of the Society for 2012,
Martin Goodman
(Chairman)