In what might prove to be a landmark decision, the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, South London, has agreed to return its ‘Benin Bronzes’ to Nigeria. It’s the first time a publicly funded museum in Britain has decided to do so and it comes at a time of increased concern about the ethics of keeping ‘stolen’ historical artefacts in museums.
The objects that the Horniman are returning will be permanently housed in a newly created state-of-the-art museum in Benin City, Edo State. The centre has been designed by the celebrated Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Frank Adjaye as a place “recalling lost collective memories” and one to instil an understanding of Nigeria’s past civilisations and cultures.
Like most museums, the Horniman depends on local support and…
