David M. Wilson

[2] From 1977 to 1992 Wilson served as the Director of the British Museum, where he was the seventeenth person to hold that distinction since its 1753 founding.

[2] There he was Reader from 1964 to 1971, and a professor of medieval archaeology from 1971 to 1976;[2] from 1973 he was also the joint head of the department of Scandinavian studies at University College London.

During his time as Director, from 1985 to 1986 Wilson was Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge.

[2] Wilson has written extensively on the subject of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, as well as the British Museum itself.

[2][4] In 1960 he published The Anglo-Saxons,[5] and in 1970 was praised for The Viking Achievement, written with Peter Foote and focused on the daily life, social customs, religion, art, trade, law, and poetry of Scandinavian society from 800 to 1200 AD.

[2] In his role as Director of the British Museum, Wilson had a televised debate in 1983 with Greek actress and Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri.

[9] He married Eva Sjoegren, an author and artist, in 1955, and has two children, Simon and Kate.