Getting Started

Consultation with Native groups is central to the repatriation process. It is a process of communication and collaboration with Native groups that can take several forms, such as mailed correspondence, emails, phone calls, remote meetings, and in-person visits. Whenever feasible, we coordinate visits to the museum for Tribal representatives to discuss the return of ancestral remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. Consultations often result in requests for repatriation or disposition of ancestral remains and/or cultural items. Additionally, consultations create opportunities to discuss digital and archival resources, support ongoing research, and collaborate on care for ancestors and sensitive cultural items while they are in our care.

Consultations are most frequently initiated by our staff as we continue with NAGPRA implementation, however, lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations often initiate consultations with the museum as well. A staff member from our NAGPRA Department will facilitate access to collections information, which is most commonly done through the Peabody's Collections Online. The Peabody Museum uses the museum collections website as a means of initial presentation of collections for NAGPRA consultation. Guidance on searching the database is available on About the Collections. Please note that in some cases, catalog records and/or images may not be publicly accessible due to cultural sensitivity considerations so please let us know if access assistance is required. 

Please send your initial inquiry to the NAGPRA Department to begin the consultation process in writing by email at pmnagpra@fas.harvard.edu or by mail at the address listed below.

Jane Pickering, William and Muriel Seabury Howells Director
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Harvard University
11 Divinity Ave.
Cambridge, Mass. 02138
pmnagpra@fas.harvard.edu

Following this initial inquiry, a designated coordinator will respond to your request. This individual will assist you in the repatriation process, address any further questions, and serve as a primary point of contact moving forward.

The museum strives to improve access for Native American communities, whether through NAGPRA or other means. If you are a member of an Indigenous or descendant community seeking access to collections or collections information outside of the NAGPRA consultation process, please visit Engage with Collections.

We welcome in-person consultations. We ask that you email us at pmnagpra@fas.harvard.edu to begin coordinating your visit. Before arranging your travel plans, please provide us with at least a month’s notice so we may fully prepare to accommodate your visit. 

As part of preparing for your visit, we will ask you to fill out a questionnaire to better understand your priorities. During your visit, we will also ask you to complete a form to document your in-person consultation. Both forms are available as PDFs below. 

Repatration: Pre-Visit Form 2023

Record of Consultation Visit

In January 2024 the museum announced that the University will provide travel funding for Tribal representatives to come to the Museum for the physical repatriation of ancestors and associated funerary belongings. We hope that this action will help lessen the burden on Tribes. Further details can be found on Repatriation Visits.

If you have any questions, please contact us at pmnagpra@fas.harvard.edu or by mail at the address listed below.

Jane Pickering, William and Muriel Seabury Howells Director
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Harvard University
11 Divinity Ave.
Cambridge, Mass. 02138
pmnagpra@fas.harvard.edu

For press inquiries, please contact the Director's Office.

See below for staff working on the museum's implementation of NAGPRA.