World's largest museum, the Smithsonian Institution is considering returning looted artworks.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Smithsonian Museum publicly confessed that many of its famed exhibits were acquired unethically — practically plundered. The museum recognized that “many artifacts and works of art have been in the Smithsonian’s holdings for decades or, in some cases, more than 150 years," noting that "ethical norms and best practices in collecting have changed, particularly with respect to collecting cultural heritage from individuals and communities."
The Smithsonian has collections it would not have acquired under present-day standards.
The announcement arrives a year after a committee of curators and collection experts started debating if the Smithsonian network of museums should implement a "shared stewardship" approach that would enable the temporary repatriation of looted, stolen, or otherwise immorally acquired objects.
According to th...