Recent Posts
Discussions held at the end of last month between a delegation of Maasai community leaders from Kenya and Tanzania and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford prove that repatriation is not the only solution for the care of culturally sensitive objects
Latest Restitution News
Recent articles added to our comprehensive resource list of restitution news from around the world
OCT 2024
United States
US Supreme Court decides not to hear a petition from the Restitution Study Group which is lobbying for Benin Bronzes in the Smithsonian collection to remain in the USA
OCT 2024
Madagascar
In the first review of its kind, France has agreed to review Madagascar's request to return the skull of King Toera, beheaded under French colonial rule
OCT 2024
Ethiopia
The newly created Royal Ethiopian Trust has negotiated the return to Ethiopia of a 19th century shield looted from maqdala and withdrawn from a UK auction in February 2024
OCT 2024
United Kingdom
Maasai objects from Kenya and Tanzania will remain at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford following an agreement made by a Maasai delegation visiting the Museum
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From the Editor
The latest analysis and reports on cultural restitution news
Discussions held at the end of last month between a delegation of Maasai community leaders from Kenya and Tanzania and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford prove that repatriation is not the only solution for the care of culturally sensitive objects
Britain’s new culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, wants government to adopt a more consistent approach to repatriation. This could lead to amending legislation that allows national museums to start repatriating contested objects
Hard on the heels of an agreement last May to return a looted Greek bronze head to the Republic of Türkiye, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has announced plans to return another looted artefact to that country
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
"These objects are of the utmost significance for the Warumungu people, and were lost to them in circumstances where they were compelled to sell or give them away. We are pleased to be able to return them to the care of their original community."
Michael Salter-Church, Chair of Trustees at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, 1 August 2024
