Elgin Marbles Poll: Most Britons Say Return Them

A new Elgin Marbles poll shows that most Britons now want the Parthenon Sculptures sent back to Athens. The YouGov survey, published by The Times on Saturday 14 November 2026, found that 52% of adults in Britain support a permanent return to the Acropolis Museum, while only 20% want the sculptures to stay in the British Museum. In other words, just one Briton in five now backs the status quo.

For the Greeks of London, who walk past the museum on Great Russell Street every week, this is the clearest sign yet that the British public has moved. Here are all the figures from the new Elgin Marbles poll, how opinion has shifted over the years, and what still stands in the way.

Elgin Marbles poll: the headline numbers

YouGov asked 2,452 adults in mid October 2026, on behalf of the Parthenon Project, the campaign that pushes for a return through a cultural partnership. The question was simple: should the Parthenon Sculptures stay in the British Museum in London, or go back to the Acropolis Museum in Greece?

• 52% said return them to Athens
• 20% said keep them in London
• The rest had no view either way
• Supporters of a return backed it even without a loan of Greek treasures in exchange

With a cultural deal, support jumps to 58%

The poll then described a wider cultural partnership between Britain and Greece: the sculptures go home, and British museums host major Greek antiquities on loan, including pieces never shown outside Greece, such as the famous Mask of Agamemnon.

• 58% would support that kind of deal
• Only 9% would oppose it
• 32% of the people who first wanted the sculptures kept in London changed their mind once they heard about the partnership

Every major party now leans towards a return

The breakdown by party, as reported in the Greek press coverage of the Times poll, shows the shift is not only on the left:

• Labour voters: 62% for a return, 15% against. With a cultural deal: 72% for, 6% against.
• Conservative voters: 43% for, 33% against. With a cultural deal: 60% for, 10% against.
• Reform UK voters: with a cultural deal, 44% for and 16% against.

When a majority of Conservative voters backs a deal, the old argument that this is a niche cause loses a lot of its weight.

What convinces the British public

The Elgin Marbles poll also tested the arguments on both sides. Reuniting the sculptures with the rest of the Parthenon frieze was the most persuasive argument of all, convincing 70%. Loans of Greek antiquities in return convinced 65%. On the other side, keeping them in London so visitors can see them next to other cultures persuaded 35%, and the fact that they have been in London for 200 years persuaded 33%.

People also see a benefit for Britain itself:

• 70% think UK and Greece relations would improve
• 56% see a benefit to Britain, only 9% a negative effect
• 54% think Greece would gain international standing
• 28% say they would think more highly of Britain if a deal were signed

How opinion has moved over the years

This is not a one off. Each Elgin Marbles poll of the last decade has pointed the same way, even if the questions and pollsters differ:

• 2014, YouGov: 37% return, 23% keep
• November 2021, YouGov: 59% said the sculptures belong in Greece, 18% in Britain
• December 2024, YouGov: 53% return, 24% keep
• September 2025, JL Partners for the Parthenon Project: 56% return, 22% keep
• October 2026, YouGov for the Parthenon Project: 52% return, only 20% keep, and 58% with a cultural deal

The share who want the sculptures to stay in London has fallen to its lowest point, one in five.

So why are they still in London?

The Elgin Marbles poll shows where public opinion is, but the law is another matter. The British Museum Act 1963 limits the museum’s power to permanently remove objects from its collection, and the British government has said it has no plans to change it. Ownership is the real sticking point: the museum talks about a loan, while Greece does not accept that the sculptures belong to the museum in the first place. Talks between Athens and the museum, chaired by George Osborne, continue.

For decades the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles has argued that the frieze is one work of art split between two cities. The new numbers say the British public increasingly agrees. You can read our earlier guide to the Parthenon Marbles weekend at the British Museum and our free walk through Greek architecture in London.

See them for yourself, then eat Greek nearby

The sculptures are in Room 18 of the British Museum, and entry is free. Go and stand in front of the frieze before you make up your own mind.

Getting there: British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG. Nearest stations Tottenham Court Road, Holborn and Russell Square.

And a few more

• Room 18 gets busy at weekends, so go on a weekday morning if you want the frieze to yourself.
• Take your kids and tell them the story: it is the best history lesson in London and it costs nothing.
• Share this Elgin Marbles poll with your British friends and colleagues. Most of them, it turns out, agree with you.

Greek events in London

Looking for something Greek to do this month? Greek List has the most complete list of Greek events in the UK, from concerts and Greek nights to talks and festivals. Organisers can list their event for free.

What do you think: will the sculptures be back in Athens in our lifetime? Tell us in the Facebook group Ellines sto Londino.