To make progress in returning countries’ heritage taken by previous generations, museums must take a pragmatic, ethical stance

Discussions about the return of the ancient Greek artefacts have likely slipped down the British Museum's list of priorities. Here, Alexander Herman, the author of a just-published book on the subject, tells us why the museum can ill afford to neglect the matter for long

The Anatolian artefact had been on long-term loan to London's Victoria & Albert Museum, although not on display. Restitution is a complex issue, but in this case it was the right move

Returning objects to their original homes is a way of righting past wrongs. But there's more to it than that

International treaty of 1970 has helped establish an ethical basis for the actions of law enforcement and museums

UK museums may deaccession collection objects with curatorial justification and transparency, but it cannot be treated as a quick financial fix

The report made international headlines, recommending the restitution of African artefacts in French museums, but the country has not returned a single item to Africa

Case of Ethiopian tabots shows that trustees' hands are not tied when it comes to the disposal of certain items from the collection

The British Museum's ownership of the statues is only guaranteed within the UK—things get more complicated on an international level

As debate grows over Europe's 19th-century cultural plunder of Africa, the key is to ensure meaningful access

Getting around the inalienability of public collections is dealt with in the report—but it might not work legally and practically