Repatriation at the Field Museum


Outreach, relationship building, and collaboration with descendant communities is part of the repatriation process at the Field Museum. The Center for Repatriation responds to repatriation requests through consultation with Indigenous communities and lineal descendants as well as coordinating the review of requests for information and return. In conjunction with thorough anthropological, historical, ethical, and legal analyses, communication with descendant communities is the foundation of each domestic and international repatriation claim. The Program also facilitates collaboration with Indigenous communities by providing access to the Museum's numerous collections, writing grant proposals, responding to information requests, and co-curation initiatives.