Young climate change activists are planning to target the Science Museum in an attempt to force it to sever its ties with major oil companies which sponsor some of its most high profile exhibitions.

Student organisers of the school strikes against climate change have accused the London museum of allowing BP, Shell and Equinor, a Norwegian multinational energy company, to “greenwash” their reputations by funding galleries and academies.

The so-called ‘Student Strikers’ last week successfully persuaded the Royal Shakespeare Company to end its sponsorship deal with BP after threatening to call for a pupil and school boycott of the theatre company.

Buoyed by their success, the group held a meeting on Wednesday to draw up a list of new possible targets. Five of the group’s leaders from across the country held a video conference call and criticised the Science Museum, National Portrait Gallery and British Museum due to their sponsorship deals with major fossil fuel firms.

The move comes as Extinction Rebellion prepares to begin two weeks of protests in London in an attempt to bring the capital to a standstill as part of a global environmental campaign.