Smithsonian’s Human Remains Task Force calls for new repatriation policies

Today the Smithsonian holds human remains of more than 30,000 individuals from dozens of countries and time periods across thousands of years.

Most of them have been under the care of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) since the early twentieth century.

The majority of these remains are whole or partial skeletons, teeth and bone fragments, and a small proportion are scalp hair, embryonic and fetal remains, and fluid-preserved tissues, including approximately 250 brains.

In addition, some cultural works in the collections contain human remains, usually blood, bones, and hair.

This report is not intended to address these cultural works.

These and sacred objects will be addressed in the future under separate cover.