The Peabody Museum has committed to a holistic program of ethical stewardship of the collections in its care. Ethical stewardship describes a set of values and practices that promote historical reflection while directing museums to become agents of a more equitable and inclusive future. This entails building and nurturing respectful, open, and reciprocal relationships with descendant communities and other heritage stakeholders. As stewards, we are committed to sharing authority with those communities to implement the culturally responsive care and interpretation of collections. In some cases, ethical stewardship can only truly be achieved by returning a cultural item to its community of origin.
Framed by the policy Consideration of Claims for the Return of Items in Harvard University Collections, issued by the Office of the Provost in September 2022, the Peabody Museum has developed guidance for origin communities, descendant communities, Indigenous nations, and national governments to request the return of cultural items accessioned into the museum’s archaeological, ethnographic, or archival permanent collections.
The Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology will consider requests for the return of cultural items on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant information, circumstances, and legal and ethical frameworks. When considering the best course of action to address such requests, the museum will evaluate: 1) the circumstances of the item’s acquisition by the Museum; 2) the claimant’s position with respect to those circumstances and their standing to request return; and 3) supporting documentation provided by the claimant and compiled by the Museum.
The museum fully commits to undertaking appropriate and respectful due diligence in evaluating all such claims.
To inquire further, please contact pmreturns@fas.harvard.edu.