Beginning on Saturday, the American Museum of Natural History in New York will close two halls that house Native American artifacts. The museum notes that the exhibitions are “severely outdated” and include culturally sensitive objects.
The largest American institution to conceal or remove Native American displays to comply with recently revised federal restrictions regarding the display of Indigenous human remains and cultural artifacts is the enormous complex on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which is located across from Central Park.
Removing All Human Remains From Public View
In October, the museum declared that it would remove all human remains from public view to eventually return as many as possible to Native American tribes and other appropriate owners.
The president of the museum, Sean Decatur, wrote a letter to the staff on Friday, stating that the most recent action is a reflection of the “growing urgency” felt by museums to alter their interactions with tribes and how they present Indigenous traditions.