Greetings card sent to Katy Barrett, Curator of Art, marking the start of furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020

Accompanied by a delivery of flowers, Katy Barrett, then the Science Museum's Curator of Art, received this card marking the start of her time on furlough.

Announced on 20 March by then Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, also known as furlough, was a policy to try to prevent job losses as the pandemic unfolded. With national lockdowns in place, only essential services and businesses were allowed to open. Many industries saw their incomes drop sharply and significantly, particularly in the travel, events, hospitality, retail and cultural sectors of the economy. The Science Museum Group's museums had three periods of closure, coinciding with national lockdowns. Lasting until 30 September 2021, the furlough scheme changed in terms of eligibility and employer contributions to wages. Through the scheme, employers could claim for 80% and later 70% and 60% of a person's wages, as long as they were earning less than £2500 per month.

Over 700 Science Museum Group employees were furloughed either part of full time during the scheme. Every member on furlough received 100% of their wages.