Recent Posts
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
Latest Restitution News
Recent articles added to our comprehensive resource list of restitution news from around the world
APR 2025
United Kingdom
London's Natural History Museum held a ceremony to mark the return of the remains of 36 First Nations ancestors to communities in Queensland, Australia
APR 2025
United States
As part of its goal to 'decolonize' its collection, Colgate University in upstate New York has returned almost 900 Mesoamerican artefacts to Mexico
APR 2025
New Zealand
A precious taonga, made between 1900 & 1908 and collected by an American Mormon missionary in the early 1900s, has been returned from a private collection in Los Angeles to New Zealand
APR 2025
France
In the first repatriation under a new French law governing human remains, the skulls of King Toera and two warriors will be returned to Madagascar
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From the Editor
The latest analysis and reports on cultural restitution news
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
Laying Ancestors to Rest pulls no punches. The recommendations made in a new policy brief published by the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Afrikan-Reparations (APPG-AR) include making the sale of human remains illegal and putting an end to the public display of ancestral remains
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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A Museum Perspective
"I am glad that we can set a new precedent today: that the University of Glasgow and The Hunterian, amongst a growing number of museums, are open to discussing and acting on repatriation claims. We have come to understand the urgent need for museums in Europe and beyond to address their pasts in equitable ways with originating and diasporic communities."
Professor Steph Scholten, Director of The Hunterian (March 2025)