Should museums return stolen artifacts?

It is morally correct, and reflects basic property laws, that stolen or looted property should be returned to its rightful owner. Cultural objects belong together with the cultures that created them; these objects are a crucial part of contemporary cultural and political identity.

Why is the British Museum full of stolen artifacts?

The British Museum is among 160 institutions worldwide to hold some of the 10,000 items stolen from Benin, which was annexed by the British Empire into what is now southern Nigeria, after a violent invasion by an expeditionary force of 1,200 personnel.

Should artifacts be returned to their countries of origins?

Yes because… Artefacts belong to their country of origin; repatriation is the right thing to do. That link should be honoured by returning the artefacts to the place where they were originally made and used.

Should British Museum return artifacts?

A common argument for the repatriation of artefacts is that they are best understood and appreciated it their original historical and cultural context. Some 46\% of Brits might agree, saying that looted artefacts remain more a part of their country of origin’s history than they are a part of British history.

Why is the British Museum bad?

The British Museum has been accused of exhibiting “pilfered cultural property”, by a leading human rights lawyer who is calling for European and US institutions to return treasures taken from “subjugated peoples” by “conquerors or colonial masters”.

Does the British Museum have stolen artifacts?

The British Museum alone has more than 900 Benin bronze artifacts. The museum is home to a bevy of stolen artifacts from other parts of the world including the Parthenon Sculptures, a collection of marble architectural decoration from the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

Should the British Museum return artifacts?

How many Egyptian artifacts are in the British Museum?

The BM boasts that it holds more than 100,000 Egyptian artefacts, the largest collection outside of Egypt. This isn’t the only gallery there, of course – there are ones for the Americas, Asia, Africa and Ancient Greece.

Why are artifacts kept in museums?

Museums are great sources of cultural, historical and educational heritage, attracting 850 million visits total worldwide each year. A museum’s ultimate defense for possessing artifacts, even illegal ones, is that they have the duty and responsibilities to display the valuable objects.

Will the British Museum repatriate stolen art?

In contrast, the British Museum has specifically said that it has no plans to repatriate stolen artifacts. In response to the Quai Branly Museum’s return of 26 items, British Museum Director Hartwig Fischer told The New York Times that “the collections have to be preserved as whole.”

Are British museums the world’s largest receivers of stolen property?

Geoffrey Robertson QC said: “The trustees of the British Museum have become the world’s largest receivers of stolen property, and the great majority of their loot is not even on public display.”

Why won’t the British Museum give up its stolen Rosetta Stone?

Instead, the British Museum loaned the shield and reclaimed it afterward. The list of stolen artifacts the British Museum refuses to give up goes on and on. Egypt wants its Rosetta Stone back and Easter Island has asked the museum to return its Moai head statue.

What are the top 10 stolen artifacts in museums?

Top 10 Stolen Artifacts Displayed In Museums. 1 10 The Elgin Marbles. Photo credit: The Independent. 2 9 Priam’s Treasure. 3 8 Ishtar Gate. 4 7 Rosetta Stone. 5 6 Hoa Hakananai’a.