Recent Posts
Can museum visitors throw light on objects that lack a reliable history, description or provenance? Manchester Museum hopes they can
Latest Restitution News
Recent articles added to our comprehensive resource list of restitution news from around the world
JAN 2026
Australia
Australian museums can't keep pace with the number of stolen bodies of Indigenous Australians being returned by overseas collections
JAN 2026
France
The agreement by France to loan two colonial-era codices to Mexico is part of a wider cultural programme bringing new momentum to a restitution campaign
JAN 2026
Switzerland
The repatriation of 107 cultural artefacts from Switzerland to Cote d'Ivoire is described as exemplary due to its transparent process and collaborative approach
DEC 2025
United States
The San Antonio Museum of Art, Texas has returned nine significant ancient artefacts to Italy as part of a cultural agreement signed in 2023
From the Editor
The latest analysis and reports on cultural restitution news
Can museum visitors throw light on objects that lack a reliable history, description or provenance? Manchester Museum hopes they can
A rare and important 19th century gold hairpin once owned by Empress Tiruwork, wife of the Abyssinian Emperor Tewodros II, will be returning to Ethiopia following negotiations by the Royal Ethiopian Trust with the Rome auction house Bertolami Fine Art
In 2022 several western collections made a decision to transfer ownership of their Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Reassured by progress on the construction of a major new facility in Benin City, they understood their artefacts would be exhibited in a new museum to be called the Edo Museum of West African Art
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.
EXPLORE
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.
View our Interactive Map ➔
A Museum Perspective
"This repatriation demonstrates what can be accomplished when we choose to build bridges. Through collaboration grounded in trust and mutual respect, we can continue to ensure that significant Ethiopian cultural treasures are accessible for all Ethiopians - and for the world - to study, appreciate and learn from."
Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie