the British Museum and it's collections

[jimkatalanos]

What is your opinion about the British Museum? Many of the exhibits have been stolen, "bought" or anything else from the original owners. Some nations want some of the exhibits back, like Greece and Egypt, since they are part of their culture.
Should the British museum give some of it's exhibits back to the original owners? Or perhaps it should keep them?

[removeduser_487563287433]

If the British Museum did this practically every museum in the world would be asked to do the same, and be practically emptied. Not to mention that it would be a disaster for all forms of research that can access these items in some of the world's finest institutions.

[jimkatalanos]

If the British Museum did this practically every museum in the world would be asked to do the same, and be practically emptied. Not to mention that it would be a disaster for all forms of research that can access these items in some of the world's finest institutions.

I said some not all of the exhibits.

[IrishHitman]

If the British Museum did this practically every museum in the world would be asked to do the same, and be practically emptied. Not to mention that it would be a disaster for all forms of research that can access these items in some of the world's finest institutions.

Are you suggesting that the Greeks are incapable of keeping their own historical heritage?

Send their stuff back if they're democracies, that's what I say.
Give those dictators who want to score a propaganda victory a nice two finger salute, that's what I say.

Your museums will be empty?
Tough luck, they're not yours to begin with.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Ah, "some", eh? Let me guess, the Greek ones?

[jimkatalanos]

Ah, "some", eh? Let me guess, the Greek ones?

Not just the Greek ones. There are not only Greek exhibits in the British museum.
And try to avoid the "you are a Greek nationalist" thing Ferrets.

[silvercolum]

I think they shouldnt, its bs, yes, but this is not a perfect world. it will cause more problems than the way its now.

[King Edward III]

No.

[removeduser_487563287433]

You said it, not me.

What then is your qualification for what gets returned and what does not?

[jimkatalanos]

You said it, not me.

What then is your qualification for what gets returned and what does not?

I also said Egypt? Am I an Egyptian nationalist? I used those 2 nations as an example.
What gets returned? some important objects-exhibits.

Yeah let's do all that. Let's put all the stones that make up the Acropolis back to where they originally came from. Should we do that?

What should be done then? Did I mention that I want all the "stones" and all the exhibits?
And BTW, they are more than stones.

[Oswald von Wolkenstein]

x

[removeduser_487563287433]

Jim there is nothing in the British museum that isn't important. What are your qualifications for what stays and what goes?

[jimkatalanos]

Jim there is nothing in the British museum that isn't important. What are your qualifications for what stays and what goes?

*A nation demands-asks some exhibits to be returned.
*the British museum instead of rejecting it negotiates.
*There is an agreement.
*What stays? What has been agreed to stay.
*What goes? What has been agreed to go.

[sirfiggin]

Most of the stuff from Egypt ended up in Britain because it was being badly treated by local merchants, examples include mummies being ground up into powder for paints and mummies sold to tourists, who dumped them in the nile when they started to smell! Anyway, the curators in the older museums know about the exhibits they have and have a right to keep them, it is still part of the museum-nation's heritage, even if they were originally stolen, remember that the colossus of Rhodes was made from Macedonian ships.

[King Edward III]

*A nation demands-asks some exhibits to be returned.
*the British museum instead of rejecting it negotiates.
*There is an agreement.
*What stays? What has been agreed to stay.
*What goes? What has been agreed to go.

All the items in the British Museum's collection are protected by the British Museum Act.

[Mithie]

Yes they should. I'll be picking them up Thursday at 5:00 PM. Please have them ready. Who am I? Well, let's just say I'm the manifestation of the victims who languished under the yoke of British Imperialism. Is that why I'm wearing this ski mask and holding a pistol? No, my friend. The ski mask symbolizes the everyman aspect of anonymity and the pistol... well... that's just to make sure you don't try any funny business, like calling the coppers.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Right. Not only did that not answer my question but it rellies on the fantasy of the British Museum not rejecting it. To use an argument I would expect of you in another thread - why are you trying to steal our history of glorious imperial aggression?

[Mithie]

Well, I guess it's possible to negotiate an exchange of some sort, like "we'll give you this ancient coat of arms with religious significance that Ghengis Khan brought back when he sacked one of your cities if you give back that nice looking imperial headress you took from us a while back".

[removeduser_487563287433]

Another thing is... let's say we give back the Greek sculptures that once adorned the Mausoleum of Mausollosus. I am thinking that the Greeks like this idea. But aha! We're going to give them to Greek arch-rivals the Turks, who of course now control the area! Suddenly Greeks no longer so keen on the whole return idea!

[Mithie]

While we're on the topic - which museum has the most loot? The British Museum? The Metropolitan? The Louvre?