Native American exhibits closing at American Museum of Natural History as museums now need tribal consent

The American Museum of Natural History announced the closure of two Native American exhibits on Friday, citing concerns over tribal consent. 

The Manhattan museum, one of the most famous in the country, made the decision after the federal government passed regulations requiring museums receive assent from tribes before displaying cultural artifacts to the public.

“The halls we are closing are artifacts of an era when museums such as ours did not respect the values, perspectives and indeed shared humanity of Indigenous peoples,” museum president Sean Decatur said in a Friday letter, according to The New York Times. 

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He added, “Actions that may feel sudden to some may seem long overdue to others.”

The two canceled exhibits showcased Native American cultural items from the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains.

President Biden’s administration has attempted to hasten the repatriation of Native American remains and cultural objects. 

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New federal regulations were put into effect this month that expedite the processes outlined in the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. 

Museums, universities, and other institutions are now required to begin repatriation of human remains or relevant cultural items within five years. 

A major change is the sweeping power given to tribal leaders and representatives in making claims on museum property and requesting repatriation.

The federal regulations rolled out earlier this month greatly loosen the burden of proof for tribes to make claims on objects or remains.

Institutional curators are required to “defer to the Native American traditional knowledge of lineal descendants, Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations” in lieu of missing historical documentation.