Should cultural artifacts taken during colonialism be returned to their countries of origin?

Cultural artifacts taken during colonialism include sculptures, manuscripts, religious objects, textiles, and countless other works acquired—sometimes through force, treaties under duress, or unequal trade—by imperial powers between the 16th and 20th centuries. These objects were often transported to European and North American museums, universities, and private collections, where they became symbols of empire and sources of prestige, scholarship, and tourism revenue. Many of the world’s most famous institutions—such as the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Pergamon Museum—hold significant collections of artifacts whose acquisition stories trace back to colonial expansion. Examples include the Benin Bronzes, taken by British forces in 1897 from what is now Nigeria, and the Elgin Marbles, removed from the Parthenon in Greece in the early 1800s. The modern restitution movement emerged alongside decolonization in the mid-20th century, as newly independent nations began calling for the return of heritage that embodies their cultural identity and history. UNESCO’s 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property laid the groundwork for international cooperation on repatriation, although it is not retroactive and primarily addresses theft and illegal export after 1970.