Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Die Zauberflöte, Oper von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Entwurf zur Dekoration, Die Sternenhalle der Königin der Nacht, Detail / Bildnachweis: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett / Jörg P. Anders

Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Die Zauberflöte, Oper von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Entwurf zur Dekoration, Die Sternenhalle der Königin der Nacht, Detail / Bildnachweis: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett / Jörg P. Anders

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Return of the First Ten Benin Objects from the Collection of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin’s Ethnologisches Museum

20.12.2022
Ethnologisches Museum

In a festive ceremony on 20 December 2022 in Nigeria, 22 of the Benin Bronzes being repatriated from Germany were handed over and presented to the public, including 10 objects from the Ethnologisches Museum of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. They will go on display in a new museum in Benin City.

In August 2022, the SPK was the first institution in the world to transfer ownership of all the Benin Bronzes in the collection of the Ethnologisches Museum to Nigeria. These 512 works ended up in Berlin as a result of the so-called punitive expedition carried out by British forces in 1897.

Around a third of the objects that have been transferred to Nigerian ownership will remain on display as loans at Berlin’s Humboldt Forum, initially for a period of 10 years. The remaining objects will be gradually returned to Nigeria, in consultation with local representatives.

Start of Measurement Series: Fraunhofer IIS and Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Digitize Benin Bronzes Using High Energy Computed To-mography (24.02.2023)

Return of Benin Bronzes from the Ethnologisches Museum: Artefacts Now in Nigerian Hands (25.08.2022)

First Restitution of “Benin Bronzes” from the Ethnologisches Museum: Commemorative Head and Relief Plaque (04.07.2022)

Humboldt Forum: Agreement on the Repatriation of the Benin Bronzes in the Ethnologisches Museum Still Planned for 2022 (29.06.2022)

Benin Bronzes: Another Major Step Taken Towards Strengthening Cultural Collaboration and Achieving Restitution (15.10.2021)

Benin Bronzes: Discussions with the Nigerian Delegation in Berlin (09.07.2021)

The Benin Bronzes: Negotiations Over the Restitution of Objects from the Collections of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (30.06.2021)

Everything at a Glance: The Ethnologisches Museum’s Benin Collection Accessible Online (02.06.2021)

In Cooperation with the Ethnologisches Museum: The Benin Dialogue Group Consolidates Plans for a Museum in Nigeria (25.07.2019)


Symposium “Exhibiting Difficult Histories: Benin Objects and their Potential for New Forms of Representation“: Greeting and introduction
Symposium “Exhibiting Difficult Histories“: Colonial, Neocolonial, & Decolonial Projects. African Material Culture
Symposium “Exhibiting Difficult Histories“: Indigenous Exhibition of Benin Cultural Objects
Symposium “Exhibiting Difficult Histories: Benin Objects and their Potential for New Forms of Representation“: Wrap-up
Symposium “Exhibiting Difficult Histories“: On the "Benin Bronzes"
Symposium „Exhibiting Difficult Histories“: Engaging Histories, Envisaging Futures
Benin Bronzes. Restitution and what now? Part III
Benin Bronzes. Restitution and what now? Part I
Benin Bronzes. Restitution and what now? Part II


News overview