Closed petition Allow the Trustees of the British Museum to accept repatriation requests

Closed on 2 April 2021

The Government should be responsive to global calls for artefacts to be returned to their place of origin, and should amend the British Museum Act 1963 to allow the Trustees of the British Museum to consider and potentially facilitate their repatriation.

The British Museum Act 1963 does not permit the Trustees to dispose of any artefacts (save in a small number of special circumstances), even following reasonable repatriation requests.  The Trustees should be permitted by law to act with greater freedom and flexibility in recognising the educational and historical value and cultural enrichment of outstanding artefacts, such as the Parthenon sculptures and Benin Bronzes, and in returning them to their place of origin.