Amend the British Museum Act 1963 to Allow Repatriation to All Nations

Open for signatures 66 signatures

What the petition asks

Amend the British Museum Act 1963 so the British Museum can return artefacts acquired during colonial rule or conflict to nations that request them. We also ask the Government to work towards a treaty or international partnership framework supporting conservation facilities in nations of origin.

Amend the Act so artefacts can be returned when any nations request them with educational replicas kept in British Museum. Online records show It holds:

over 110,000 objects from Egypt and Sudan,
64,928 items from Greece, including the Parthenon Sculptures,
52,518 items from India,
10,068 items from Australia, including Indigenous artefacts,
10,991 items from South Africa,
9,439 items from Ghana,
7,240 items from Kenya,
more than 900 artefacts taken from Benin, and
80 Ethiopian artefacts, including 11 tabots.

We also ask the Government to work towards a treaty or international partnership framework supporting conservation facilities in nations of origin.

Timeline

15 Jun 2026

Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 66

Status Open for signatures

Department Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Opened 15 Jun 2026

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