ABSTRACT
Museums have historically displayed human remains to educate the public about the lives, beliefs, and customs of past people. However, since the 1950s, critiques from Indigenous activists and others have led to discussions about the ethical treatment of ancestral remains and sacred materials in museums and research collections. Emerging from these discussions are ethical guidelines and accords that emphasize respect for human remains and for originating communities. Outstanding issues include questions about the ethical display of human remains. In many nations, Indigenous Ancestors are no longer displayed for ethical reasons, but whether and how to display other (non-Indigenous) human remains is an unresolved dilemma. Some museum professionals are addressing these ethical challenges by developing new ways of presenting archaeological remains that foreground respect for the deceased, and encourage public dialogue and reflection. We review recent developments in display ethics and discuss how shifting ideologies relating to Indigenous and colonial collections are driving a re-evaluation of ethical display practices more broadly.
