Recent Posts
Village leaders at San Benito Poité in southern Belize, formerly British Honduras, are claiming that an important collection of artefacts removed from the ancient city of Pusilha is not the lawful property of the British Museum
Latest Restitution News
Recent articles added to our comprehensive resource list of restitution news from around the world
JUN 2025
Netherlands
Following talks between Indonesia's Repatriation Team and the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee, Indonesia's Minister of Culture announced significant progress in repatriating cultural artefacts
MAY 2025
Australia
Eleven objects of deep cultural significance to the Larrakia Community of the Northern Territory of Australia have been returned by the Fowler Museum in California
MAY 2025
United States
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned three ancient artefacts to the Iraqi government, including a terracotta head looted from the ancient Mesopotamian city of Isin in the 1960s
MAY 2025
Netherlands
Preparations are underway at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden to return the Museum's collection of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, the largest single collection of Benin artefacts ever returned
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Restitution: Returning Colonial Loot
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From the Editor
The latest analysis and reports on cultural restitution news
Village leaders at San Benito Poité in southern Belize, formerly British Honduras, are claiming that an important collection of artefacts removed from the ancient city of Pusilha is not the lawful property of the British Museum
Explaining why a looted artefact should be returned to its country or community of origin can sometimes be straightforward. But explaining how is altogether different
A unique shell necklace believed to originate from the Bass Strait islands has been returned by The Hunterian collection to representatives from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) who travelled to Glasgow to carry it home
About Cultural Restitution
Cultural restitution is the process by which a moveable object of historic or cultural value is returned to its country of origin after being seized, looted or acquired against the will of its owners. But it's more than just an act of return. It represents a growing recognition of the need to correct injustices committed in the past.
Today, as society’s values and the role of museums change, the legitimacy and ownership of these objects – as well as those thought to be procured legally – are coming under a spotlight. As complicated and sensitive as this debate may be, there’s no halting the growing debate between museums and communities of origin to find solutions that build new bridges of friendship and cooperation. This involves a new approach to restitution built on transparency and fairness - engaging with source communities and ensuring their voice is heard.
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Mapping the location of cultural restitutions
Our extensive Global Archive provides invaluable links to many other restitutions and other restitution news taking place around the world - organised by country.
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A Museum Perspective
"While the motivation behind the acquisition of ethnological material can appear strange today, it reflected curiosity about the wider world and a desire to represent diverse cultures. However, the European bias and power imbalances that often characterised this collecting have left a complex and sensitive legacy for us to address today."
Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive National Museums NI (April 2025)
