Belonging
Belonging: Restitution, Dignity, and Radical Care in Collections
Belonging explores repatriation and the responsibilities museums have to Indigenous Nations and communities whose ancestors and cultural belongings have been held in museum collections.
The exhibition examines the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), enacted in 1990 to establish a process for the return of Native American ancestors, funerary items, sacred objects, and items of cultural patrimony. It also considers responsibilities that extend beyond legal requirements.
Through the process of discovery, consultation, claim, and return, Belonging looks at how museums and Tribal Nations are working together to address past collecting practices and determine more respectful paths forward. The exhibition centers dignity, accountability, and care while asking what it means to responsibly steward collections today.
