I don't agree with many of the author's arguments, but it's a very good introduction to the history of museums and some of the controversies about them that have arisen over the past 20-40 years. Jenkins gives an excellent survey and is well-informed on current literature on the topic.

While I'm somewhat persuaded by her arguments against repatriation of art objects (in certain cases), I disagree with her stance on the treatment of human remains, particularly as the handling of these (in the US) is governed by a federal law, but also because *people* are not the same as *things* (even if they might contain scientific data we can use to help the living).

I'm more to the left on most of these issues than the author, but I think it's extremely important that such a well-reasoned, non-offensive statement of the more conservative/centrist viewpoint on this topic exists. ( )

This is a well researched book on how artifacts from antiquity came to be in museums around the world.
The author gives her reasons why these objects should never be given back to the original countries even though they were taken illegally.
This is a very controversial book and one that will cause "conversations" for some time.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Oxford University Press via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review. ( )

An exhaustingly long look at a phenomenon affecting modern museums today, that of repatriation of artifacts removed from their "homes" and stored in museums around the world. Over the course of centuries, whether by colonization, thoughts of preservation, or outright theft, antiquities have been removed from their original locations and stored/warehoused/displayed elsewhere. Should they have been taken? What about if the items in question would have been destroyed if left where they were? The author discusses the Elgin Marbles", a group of marble statues removed from Greece long ago, where they were being ground into mortar. The busts would be, literally, in the "dustbin" of history if they had not been removed. Should they be returned now? Where does the right of possession lie?
And, as in all things, there is a financial consideration. Artifacts draw large numbers of people to museums, bringing in much needed funds.
The author points out that museums are experiencing confusion over how they should proceed. Return the items (where they may never see the light of day again), or keep them (where they can serve as an educational tool to many people)?
To find out the author's opinions, you'll have to read the book yourself.
It is a very interesting study. ( )