The British Museum is full of stolen artifacts

Summary

The video examines the British Museum’s collection and the growing debate over whether cultural artifacts taken during colonial rule should remain in Western museums or be returned to their places of origin.

The scale and history of the collection

The British Museum holds more than eight million objects spanning roughly two million years of human history. Nearly half of the 12 objects on its recommended “don’t miss” route have disputed ownership.

Founded in 1753, the museum expanded as the British Empire grew. During centuries of imperial rule, Britain took wealth and cultural objects from many parts of the world. Some objects in the museum were acquired through undisputed sales; others are contested.

Contested objects

Examples include the Rosetta Stone, taken by British troops from French forces in Egypt; the Parthenon sculptures, removed from Athens by a British lord; and the Benin Bronzes, taken from the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Nigeria.

The term Benin Bronzes covers a wide range of objects, including ivory tusks, brass sculptures, and plaques. Made from the 1500s onward, they adorned the palace and served religious purposes. They also recorded the kingdom’s history, politics, and social life in a society without a written script.

The 1897 expedition

During the European “Scramble for Africa,” Britain sought influence and trade in the region. After Benin guards killed seven British emissaries and their guides and servants, Britain sent about 1,200 troops on the Benin Punitive Expedition.

The video says the mission was driven not only by revenge but also by reports of palace treasures that could help pay for the invasion. British forces conquered and burned the city, taking thousands of artifacts. Many were sold or dispersed to museums and other collections.

Requests for return

Nigeria gained independence in 1960, but many Benin artifacts remained in institutions abroad. Nigerian art historian Chika Okeke-Agulu describes seeing Benin artworks at the British Museum as a mix of pride and loss: most people in Nigeria would not have the opportunity to see them there.

In 2000, Benin’s royal family formally requested the return of cultural property they said had been taken illegally. The British Museum has said it does not restitute objects, citing legal restrictions, but is committed to lending them widely. Okeke-Agulu argues that the museum still behaves like a colonial institution.

There have also been efforts to address the issue:

• In 2014, the grandson of a British soldier returned two inherited items to the Benin royal family.
• A dialogue group involving Western museums and Nigerian representatives was formed in 2007 to discuss possible solutions.
• At the time the video was made, museums had not returned the Benin Bronzes they held.

The broader debate

The Benin case is one example of a much larger legacy involving contested artifacts in museums around the world. The debate concerns more than ownership of individual objects; it also involves cultural and historical identity. The video concludes that cultural recovery must begin now, even if the process takes generations.

Speakers and sources featured

• Vox narrator — Provides the museum’s history, context, and reporting.
• Chika Okeke-Agulu — Nigerian art historian and Princeton University professor; discusses the significance of Benin art, his experience seeing it in London, and the case for cultural restitution.
• The British Museum — Quoted in a statement to Vox from July 2020 on restitution and lending.