YOUNG climate campaigners wrote to the Science Museum today to request that a placard it has on display be removed from its Shell-sponsored exhibition.

The “Keep it cool” placard, created by 20-year-old Bella May for the London youth climate strikes in 2019, was put in the Our Future Planet exhibition without her being informed that the exhibition was going to be sponsored by the oil giant.

Given that one of the targets of the youth strike protests was the exploitation and destruction caused by fossil fuel companies, Ms May now wants her placard removed.

She plans to go to the museum to collect the piece later this month and donate it to the Climate Museum UK instead.

The letter by UK Student Climate Network also asks for a formal commitment from the Science Museum that none of these placards will ever be displayed in a fossil fuel sponsored space again.

Ms May said that she and her friend Sophie Godbold, who made the placard together, were approached by a woman from the Science Museum while at the protest in Parliament.

The pair were excited to have their work put on display and signed papers that were handed to them but were not aware of the sponsorship.

“I felt let down [when I found out] because I thought I was being involved in something beneficial for people who were going to come to the exhibition.

“I’m disappointed that an institution such as the Science Museum would lie like that to the public, and I’d like the museum to come clean about how they’re actually part of the problem.

“Both Sophie and I would like our placard out of there as soon as possible.”

The Science Museum was approached for comment.