Museums
Sen. Schatz Presses Harvard Over Delayed Return of Native Ancestors
United States Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) pressed Harvard earlier this month to explain why Native ancestors and cultural items remain in its possession, renewing calls for the University to speed up its repatriation efforts under a federal law requiring their return.
Curator Spotlights Nearly 400-Year-Old Chair At Harvard Art Museums Gallery Talk
The Harvard Art Museums held a gallery talk Wednesday centered on the oldest object in their American collection — a nearly 400-year-old chair that dates back to a 17th century Essex County household.
Harvard Peabody Museum Still Holds 46 Percent of Native American Ancestors, New Data Shows
The Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology still holds 46 percent of the Native American ancestors in its collections, according to newly released data, falling short of a 2022 pledge to complete the repatriation of all ancestors and their associated funerary belongings within three years.
MFA Researcher Florence Dunn Friedman Examines Menkaure Statues in Egyptology Lecture
Boston Museum of Fine Arts researcher Florence D. Friedman offered new interpretations of Egyptian King Menkaure’s fourth dynasty statues during a lecture at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture on Wednesday.
Archeologist Clemency Coggins Criticizes Peabody Museum’s 20th-Century Chichén Itzá Excavation Project
Renowned archaeologist Clemency C. Coggins criticized Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography for excavating the Mexican Sacred Cenote without properly accounting for the “archaeological context” of the site.
Boston, Naming Developer, Moves to Next Stage of Replacing Demolished Sound Museum
The city of Boston has selected a developer and consultant to manage the long-awaited replacement of the Sound Museum, a popular musicians’ rehearsal space in Brighton demolished two years ago to be developed into biotech labs.
Paleoanthropologist Louise Leakey Talks Turkana Basin Discoveries at Peabody Museum
Paleoanthropologist Louise Leakey, the granddaughter of Mary and Louis Leakey, who first determined that early humans evolved in Africa, presented a history of her family’s research in north Kenya at the Peabody Museum on Thursday.
Artist Pulls Out Of Carpenter Center Talk Citing ‘Capitulatory’ Stance from Harvard on Trump’s Demands
Two artists abruptly backed out from their scheduled talk at Harvard in protest of what they saw as a willingness to capitulate by Harvard leadership to the demands of the Trump administration.
Harvard Art Museums Receive Bequest of 64 Edvard Munch Artworks
The Harvard Art Museums received a bequest of 62 prints and two paintings by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, an addition that makes the museum’s collection of Munch’s work one of the largest in the United States.
Harvard Returns the Remains of 7 Ancestors to the Oneida Indian Nation
Harvard has repatriated the remains of seven Oneida Indian Nation ancestors and associated funerary objects that were held in the collection of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, the Oneida Nation announced Wednesday.
Harvard Museum of Natural History Hosts National Fossil Day
The Harvard Museum of Natural History welcomed visitors on Sunday for its third annual National Fossil Day event since the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing children and adults to learn about paleontology by interacting with artifacts from the museum's collections.
New Harvard Art Museums Initiative Lets Students Touch Ancient Artifacts
Harvard Art Museums opened their doors for a hands-on display of ancient Egyptian artifacts Friday, the first in a series of “First/Hand Fridays” showcasing the museum’s private collection for Harvard students.
Harvard Will Not Remove Sackler Name From Art Museum and Campus Building
Harvard will not remove the Sackler name from one of three University art museums and another campus building, ending a yearslong campaign by student activists for Harvard to distance itself from the family and its role in the opioid epidemic.
Sarah Ganz Blythe To Serve as Director of Harvard Art Museums
Sarah Ganz Blythe, currently the deputy director for exhibitions, education, and programs at the Rhode Island School of Design, will serve as the next director of the Harvard Art Museums, the University announced Wednesday.
Harvard Peabody Museum Returns Five Ancient Mummies to Denmark
The Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology returned five Greenlandic Inuit mummies to Denmark last week, five years after their repatriation was first requested by Danish authorities.
‘Largest Art Theft’: 50 Years of Searching for the Stolen Fogg Coins
On a December night in 1973, five armed men broke into Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum and stole more than 6,000 ancient Greek and Roman coins. Fifty years later, the museum is still working to get them back.
‘Appalling’: Keynote Speaker at Legacy of Slavery Symposium Calls for Faster Repatriation of Indigenous Remains
Tara Houska, a tribal attorney and activist who served as the keynote speaker during the second day of Harvard’s Legacy of Slavery Symposium, condemned the University’s continued possession of Indigenous objects and ancestral remains during an interview following the event.
Harvard Plans To Renovate 4 Major Libraries Ahead of 400th Anniversary
Martha Whitehead, vice president of the Harvard Library, announced plans to renovate the four major libraries in Harvard Yard — Widener, Lamont, Pusey, and Houghton — during a faculty meeting last week.
National NAGPRA Manager Visits Harvard Peabody Museum Amid Repatriations
Melanie O’Brien, the program manager and designated federal official for the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act, is on Harvard’s campus this week
Harvard Peabody Museum Releases Data on Repatriation Efforts
The Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology released updates on its repatriation efforts under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act last Wednesday.
Harvard Peabody Museum Removes Nearly 40 Native American Objects From Display
The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology removed nearly 40 Native American and Indigenous cultural objects from their displays to comply with new regulations from the Department of the Interior.
Harvard to Fund Travel Expenses for Tribal Repatriations
Harvard will fund Native American Tribal representatives’ travel to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology for the repatriation of ancestral remains and funerary belongings, the University announced this month.
Caroline Jean Fernald Named Director of Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
Caroline Jean Fernald was selected as the new executive director of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra announced last month. She began her tenure Wednesday.
Navajo Scholars, Advocates Discuss Cultural Preservation at Peabody Museum Event
Navajo scholars and advocates spoke about their professional and personal experiences preserving Navajo cultural heritage in a Wednesday evening event organized by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
Cambridge Residents, Harvard Affiliates Attend Día de los Muertos Celebration at Harvard Peabody Museum
The Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology held an event featuring arts and crafts and Mariachi musical performances to celebrate the Día de los Muertos holiday Thursday.
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