PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Repeal the British Museum Act 1963
The British Museum Act of 1963 makes it so that institutions such as the British Museum and the Natural History Museum cannot return the items that they hold unless in very specific circumstances mandated by not only the Trustees of the museums, but also the British Parliament.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
10
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 10/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 10/100,000
Background
This law means that many communities cannot have objects and artefacts returned to them, and means that the British Museum continues its reign of imperial power and colonialism over the rest of the world. By repealing the act, actions can be taken to start to return these objects, and, if affected communities are willing, to repair the bonds damaged by centuries of British colonialism and theft.