Petition · past parliament

Create a British Slavery Museum in Bristol.

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

After seeing the fall of the Edward Colston's sculpture in Bristol, it is clear that our society needs an honest and truthful discussion about our past.
Restoring the sculpture to its previous position would send a devastating message. An updated approach to History is necessary. A museum in which these kinds of items can be properly exhibited would help to explain our history and, simultaneously, help to turn controversial items into educational assets.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

The commissioning of new museums, and those museums' acquisitions policies, are a matter for local authorities and individual museum groups, not the UK Government or Parliament.

In any event, there is already a International Slavery Museum in Liverpool: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/international-slavery-museum. You could contact your local councillor and ask them to encourage Bristol City Council to donate the Edward Colston statue to this museum if that's what you'd like to happen.

Timeline

7 Jun 2020 Petition opened for signatures
13 Jul 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 13 Jul 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.