A Famed NYC Museum Closes Two Native American Halls, Following Harvard and Others.

New York’s American Museum of Natural History has announced the closure of two halls featuring Native American objects, acknowledging that the exhibits are “severely outdated” and contain culturally sensitive items. This decision comes as part of a growing trend among U.S. institutions to cover up or remove Native American exhibits to comply with recently revamped federal regulations.

Reasons for Closure

The museum’s president, Sean Decatur, wrote in a letter to staff that the halls being closed are “vestiges of an era when museums such as ours did not respect the perspectives, and indeed shared humanity of Indigenous peoples”. Decatur also mentioned that the latest move reflects the “growing urgency” among museums to address these issues[4].

Impact on the Museum and Visitors

The American Museum of Natural History has been a mainstay for New York-area students learning about Native American life in the Northeast. The closure of these halls may affect the educational experience for visitors, but the museum remains committed to supporting the teaching of Indigenous cultures.

Comparison with Other Institutions

Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology has also announced plans to remove all Native American items from public display. The Cleveland Museum of Art is another institution that has taken similar steps. Shannon O’Loughlin, head of the Association on American Indian Affairs, a national group that has long called for museums to comply with federal requirements, welcomed such developments but emphasized that the true test is what ultimately becomes of the removed items.

Federal Regulations and Repatriation

In October, the American Museum of Natural History announced that it would pull all human remains from public display, with the aim of eventually repatriating as much as it could to Native American tribes and other indigenous communities. The new federal regulations make it clear that museums must comply with these requirements.

Reactions and Future Plans

The closure of the Native American halls has been met with mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a long-overdue step and others feeling that the changes are happening too quickly. The museum is currently reviewing the new federal regulations to understand their implications and is committed to finding ways to support the teaching of Indigenous cultures.

As the American Museum of Natural History and other institutions navigate these changes, the focus remains on ensuring that the removal of Native American exhibits is done in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner, with the ultimate goal of repatriating items to their rightful communities.