About Returning Heritage

Returning Heritage was established in 2019 as a not-for-profit online resource providing reliable information on the cultural restitution debate. We provide news and comment on current initiatives, together with an extensive archive of global news about the management and return of cultural property. 

Returning Heritage focusses in particular, but not exclusively, on the return of artefacts, many of which were taken by force during the colonial era. This is where established legal structures are gradually being superseded by new policies based on moral and ethical considerations. There are other online resources that focus on news about Nazi-looted art and spoliation. So this period of illicit seizure is not our principal focus. However, we do monitor and sometimes report on incidents of modern-day trafficking – to help authorities stay alert to the continuing risks they face from organised networks of art traffickers and the damage these events inflict on a nation's cultural heritage.

We aim to be even-handed, focussing on conveying news and information that audiences can use to inform their own judgement about this important debate. But we remain an advocate of fair and just solutions. Sometimes, these solutions point towards the repatriation of objects to their communities of origin.  But other solutions also exist. What is important is to ensure that all information is communicated with accuracy and fairness. 

BBC  News Verified Live  | April 2024

We are not afraid to express our opinions, especially when institutions refuse to face up to the changing role of museums and the expectations of its visitors in the 21st century. Our aim is to help people look beyond the confines of the colonial museum model and to consider whether those institutions that perpetuate the glorification of these legacies are still appropriate in a global, multi-racial and multi-faith museum community. 

We are always interested in your opinion and feedback. After you’ve read an article, let us know what you think by sending us your comments. And please sign up to receive our free email alerts about new articles we think you’ll find of interest. We don’t send them too often and it won’t cost you anything.