Museums Remove Native American Exhibits Following New Federal Regulations

The revised Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act now requires museums to consult with tribes before exhibiting cultural objects, sparking nationwide debate.

The Denver Art Museum has removed a case of Native American ceramics from public view in response to new federal regulations governing the exhibition of sacred Indigenous objects.
The revisions to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) give tribes more of a voice in how their materials are displayed, requiring museums to consult with, and obtain permission from, tribes before exhibiting cultural objects.
The new regulations also explicitly prohibit scientists from conducting research on Native human remains — a practice once commonplace at museums and universities.
Museums across the country, including the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Field Museum in Chicago, are also removing or covering Native American exhibits in response to the new regulations.
The new rules have sparked debate, with some arguing that they are erasing an important part of the nation’s history from public view, while others see them as a necessary step towards respecting the values and perspectives of Indigenous peoples.