The Ethnologisches Museum is committed to critically engaging with its own history as an institution, the cultural belongings it currently houses in its collections, their respective origins, and the circumstances in which these artefacts were acquired or appropriated.

A considerable portion of the items held in the collection of the Ethnologisches Museum made their way to the museum during the era of European colonialism. With this in mind, the museum now focusses much of its efforts on researching the circumstances under which acquisitions and appropriations took place during this period. Transcultural and international cooperation are particularly important in this regard, as is fostering and maintaining a dialogue about the provenance of the museum’s collections, their significance, and appropriate means and methods for handling them.

In addition to collections amassed during the period of European colonialism, there are also other historical contexts that call for critical engagement, such as collections that were acquired during the era of Nazi rule and the potentially unlawful removal of cultural assets from certain countries in the more recent past.

Conversations about restitution can emerge in a variety of different ways – for example, as a result of the museum’s own research initiatives, via collaborations with partners, or in response to restitution requests filed either by individuals, organisations or national governments. Depending on the details of the specific case, it is sometimes necessary to consult with the government of an artefact’s country of origin in addition to the relevant government agencies in Germany – especially in cases where it is unclear who the appropriate dialogue partners would be for conducting the restitution.

The Ethnologisches Museum is part of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz. All final decisions pertaining to restitutions fall to the foundation’s Board of Trustees.

The museum considers transparent access to information one of its priorities. On this page, you will be able to find further information about the topics of restitution and repatriation, including past instances of both, as well as general research tips and contact information.

On the Repatriation of Ancestral Human Remains

The Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz holds ancestral human remains that made their way into the collections of its institutions in a variety of different contexts. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Königliches Museum für Völkerkunde in Berlin (now the Ethnologisches Museum) was a pivotal institution within a network of different establishments that were actively engaged in procuring and amassing collections of human remains – primarily for research objectives that were rooted in racist theories or evaluated within a racist framework. The process of handling these human bones and remains is bound up with a specific ethical and historical responsibility. Furthermore, the museum also houses cultural artefacts or cultural belongings that in one way or another contain human remains, which means that handling these items also calls for a particular sensitivity and awareness.

In 2019, the Board of Trustees of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz agreed that the foundation is fundamentally in favour of repatriating mortal remains that were introduced into its collections in colonial contexts – provided that repatriation is wanted and that the relevant body has been determined for receiving the remains. The Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz repatriated toi moko to New Zealand in 2020, iwi kūpuna to Hawaii in 2022 and 2023, and the human remains of three people to Australia in 2024.

The provenance research team is constantly compiling further information on provenance research into the ancestral human remains held in the collections of the Ethnologisches Museum.

A Note on the History of Conservation Treatment

It is worth noting that, in accordance with the standard museum practices in several countries at the time, a proportion of the Ethnologisches Museum’s inventory was treated until the late 1990s with pesticides and fungicides in an attempt to protect collection items from damage by insects and fungi. The substances in question have since been determined to be harmful to human health. While decontamination is not an option, it is possible to organise – by prior arrangement and if desired – the cleaning or removal of contaminated dust particles from an item. In the course of the restitution or repatriation, the museum would also endeavour to provide the most comprehensive information possible about the handling of the specific artefacts. If necessary, and only in consultation with the relevant contact person(s), it is also possible to conduct further analyses of the object(s).

Contact for Restitution und Repatriation

For further information and enquiries about restitution and repatriation, please contact the Ethnologisches Museum at: restitution.em.aku[at]smb.spk-berlin.de.

Research Opportunities

The Ethnologisches Museum strives to facilitate access to its collections and any relevant information pertaining to them. The digitised reproductions of collection items and other data made available online offer comprehensive insight into the museum’s holdings and the historical documentation of its collection. We would be more than happy to provide you with specific inventory lists upon request.

Digitised Museum Collections

Collection items that have already been digitised can be accessed via the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin’s online database, which is currently only available in German.

Expanded Finding Aid

Published in April 2024, the finding aid for the Ethnologisches Museum’s historical archive and historical collection catalogues (PDF, 4.02 MB) (German only) expands the online database and makes for improved access to all of the museum’s digitised archival records.

Acquisition Logs

The digitised acquisition and accession logs of the Ethnologisches Museum are available online.

Main Catalogues or Inventory Registers

The main catalogues (Hauptkataloge) or inventory registers (Inventarbücher) for the Ethnologisches Museum’s various collections can be accessed here as follows (currently only available in German):

The Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz has already successfully returned a number of artefacts from the Ethnologisches Museum to their respective countries of origin in recent years.