The Letchworth State Park Museum has covered up their Native American displays until they can be returned or displayed with permission.

    by AncientEldritch

    8 Comments

    1. There is a Native American museum near me that had a few displays in the same state when I went earlier this year.

    2. It’s small stuff like this that actually shows some accountability. Covering them up might look weird, but it’s way more respectful than just leaving them out

    3. This has been an ongoing movement through museums, and it is nice to see some respect paid for these artifacts. It is even better to see the signs that the items have been returned!

    4. anotherpredditor on

      Just curious. Anyone here not American and if so what are your thoughts. Would this happen in Asia or Europe?

    5. Last November, there were updated guidelines to NAGPRA that gave the act more teeth which applied to any organization that has received federal funding in the last 10 years. The thing is, that this also applied to any organizations that received PPP loans during covid. The new updated guidelines require that these organizations cover or remove any and all applicable artifacts from public view until the organization becomes compliant with the guidelines set by NAGPRA or if found in violation those organizations would be ineligible to receive any federal funding in the future.

      For most organizations, this is a great push to build a relationship with the tribal representatives applicable to the history that organization is telling. Just a quick glance; NAGPRA guidelines only apply to human remains, artifacts that hold current religious significance, or objects known to be used in burial practices. It does not apply to common tools or other such items. (i.e. arrow heads, scrapers, pots, etc)

    Leave A Reply