By: Julia Valencia
Editor-in-Chief
In an age where the answer to virtually all questions is at a person’s fingertips, places that bring people together in person to learn about a shared history are crucial in increasing connection. Museums have been around for hundreds of years, displaying historical artifacts and detailed accounts from the past. They are a way to glimpse what the world was like hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years ago. While museums are critical for sharing information and safeguarding ancient relics, the very presence of some exhibits and what is in them can create tension between countries. Museums have a responsibility to investigate the origins of their artifacts and acknowledge when they acquired objects unjustly, working with the place of origin to return items when appropriate.
Museums first began as private collections of rare and unexplainable objects, often called “cabinets of curiosity.” The Ashmolean Museum opened at Oxford University in 1683 and is the first account of a private collection becoming open for the public eye. During the 18th century, the Enlightenment brought about a new era of education, with a wave of museums following. The British Museum opened in 1759, and the Louvre followed shortly after, in 1793. The British Museum based their collections heavily on their trade networks and colonial expansion, carrying the mindset that they were entitled to whatever they found, and held little accountability for what they took. As time has progressed, many communities have requested that museums should return “their” artifacts. One of the largest issues with this is that it can be difficult to pinpoint from where an artifact originated, especially with changing borders and inconsistent timelines.
Despite this, humanity’s understanding of history has shifted significantly since museums first became popular. With increasing resources and more accurate assessments of authentic ownership, museums must work to return artifacts to their rightful homes. Some hold immense cultural, religious, or historical significance to the communities from which they came. The British Museum houses two of the most contested pieces of history: the Parthenon Marbles, which originated in Greece, and the Rosetta Stone, which a French military engineer found in Egypt. Though the museum is in active discussions with Greece about the sculptures, they have repeatedly denied Egypt’s requests for the stone.
Museums often obtained these objects through theft or coercion, and keeping them can perpetuate the original wrongdoing. Museums do not need to return all artifacts from every single exhibit, but they should look into the background of the relics as well as the ethics behind keeping them even after places have requested their return. Museums need to increase their transparency behind the objects they have and give the affected communities a strong role in deciding what happens to them. They should also consider increasing their artifact loaning programs, allowing more people to see the item without permanently keeping it.
(Sources: CNN, NY Times, Princeton University, The British Museum, University of Washington)