Petition · past parliament · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Amend the British Museum Act 1963 to allow for the return of artefacts
Closed
174 signatures
What the petition asks
Museums are facing calls to return artefacts to their places of origin. The British Museum Act holds that the Trustees of the British Museum shall not dispose of objects vested in them except in very limited circumstances.
Trustees do not have the power to sell, exchange, give away or dispose of any object vested in them and comprised in the Collection except in limited circumstances, such as when the object is a duplicate of another object held in the Collection, or the object is unfit or useless for the purposes of the Museum.
Egyptians call for the return of the artefacts inherited from their ancestors. Egypt has preserved its artefacts for thousands of years and can preserve them for the future.
Egyptians call for the return of the artefacts inherited from their ancestors. Egypt has preserved its artefacts for thousands of years and can preserve them for the future.
Timeline
| 13 Feb 2024 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 29 May 2024 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
174
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Opened
13 Feb 2024
Closed
29 May 2024
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.