The Peabody Museum recognizes its significant role in the colonial history of museum collecting and the ethical imperative to address that legacy and work to repair it. The Peabody upholds the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) as Federal law and promotes NAGPRA as a key mechanism to initiate such repair through dialogue with Indigenous nations. This work includes a concrete commitment to the return of ancestors and their funerary belongings to fulfill the ethical and moral imperative of NAGPRA.
Background
In October 2021, the Peabody introduced an interim research policy covering NAGPRA collections including those under active consultation, collections reported in Federal Register Notices, and collections repatriated under NAGPRA that remain under the physical stewardship of the Museum. This policy was developed with the Peabody NAGPRA Advisory Committee and is informed by ongoing conversations with Tribal Nations. It aims to encourage knowledge generation in a manner founded on respect for, and in partnership with, descendant communities, in line with the Museum’s broader commitment to the ethical stewardship of all collections in our care.
This policy was designated as “interim” pending a final review to incorporate recommendations from Harvard University’s Steering Committee on Human Remains in Harvard Museum Collections and ongoing considerations of the Peabody Museum’s Faculty Executive Committee around Museum-wide research policies. As the Museum has moved forward with both these contributing initiatives, this policy has been updated accordingly and its interim status removed.
Goals
The Peabody Museum supports the heritage interests and research goals of Tribal Nations by ensuring that their concerns may be voiced and incorporated into all research activities drawing on museum collections. We encourage scholars and others engaging in research to respect Tribal concerns and guidance and expect consultation with appropriate Tribal Nations to have taken place prior to proceeding with collections-based research projects. To this end, the Peabody Museum has implemented a research policy for NAGPRA collections requiring advance permission from Tribal Nations before research access will be granted.
Research Policy for NAGPRA Collections
The Peabody Museum will not authorize research, including analytical sampling, on human remains or associated funerary belongings without permission from authorized Tribal representatives. This applies to human remains and funerary belongings that have been culturally affiliated and human remains and associated funerary belongings that, under current NAGPRA regulations, are deemed culturally unidentifiable. Items that may be sacred objects, objects of cultural patrimony, or culturally unidentifiable unassociated funerary belongings will have restricted access when they are under active consultation or have been repatriated. This distinction reflects the specific processes in place for establishing the coverage and status of such items under NAGPRA.
In all cases, and in addition to the Museum’s general policies on sharing research results, researchers will be asked and encouraged to share data, unpublished summaries, and publications with Tribal Nations.
In cases where Tribal Nations, including state-recognized Tribes, seek access to collections and documentation as part of their own research, the Museum will facilitate access without the requirement of written authorization from culturally affiliated Tribal Nations, whether federally or state recognized.
In most cases, the Museum will continue to provide access to collections documentation such as accession files and to archival collections. If access to digital image collections is restricted via Peabody Museum policy, physical research access to archival photographic originals will also be restricted.
UPDATED OCTOBER 2, 2023