American Museum of Natural History Closes Native American Exhibits Following New Federal Regulations

The closure of two major halls is in response to updated regulations requiring museums to obtain consent from Native American tribes before displaying or conducting research on their cultural items.

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City is closing two major halls featuring Native American artifacts in response to new federal regulations.
The new regulations require museums to obtain consent from Native American tribes before displaying or performing research on cultural items.
The museum's president, Sean Decatur, announced the closure of the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains halls, stating that the exhibits are 'severely outdated' and contain a significant number of cultural objects that could require consent to exhibit.
Other museums across the country, including the Field Museum in Chicago and the Cleveland Museum of Art, have also taken similar steps in response to the updated regulations.
The closures mark a transformative moment in the museum industry's approach to ethical curation and representation of Indigenous heritage.