Author

In January 2024, the United States made landmark regulatory updates under the
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) amidst
intensifying scrutiny on human remains stewardship and calls for repatriation.
Museums across the United States and United Kingdom currently hold hundreds
of thousands of human remains in their collections, many of which were acquired
through colonial exploitation, thefts of cultural heritage, grave robbing, and other
unethical acquisitions from marginalized communities. The dark history of these
collections and their perpetuation of harm to marginalized communities necessitates
improved mechanisms for human remains repatriation.

This Note examines the current state of museum human remains policies and makes
the case for improved regulations and social sanctions. Museums across the United
States and United Kingdom implement a wide range of policies for human remains
stewardship, and the analysis of four key case studies—the American Museum of
Natural History, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the British Museum,
and the Manchester Museum—demonstrates the need for interventions to facilitate
the return of human remains. Specifically, the learnings from these case studies
highlight the need for public pressure and improved regulations that carry concrete
mandates, are enforced, and address key regulatory gaps.