Harvard Museum Prepares to Repatriate Single Native American Individual's Remains
Published Date: 1/7/2026
Notice
Summary
Harvard’s Peabody Museum has finished checking its collection and found Native American human remains from the Sherman Institute in California. These remains belong to one individual and are linked to Native American tribes. Starting February 6, 2026, the museum can return these remains to the right tribes, following important cultural rules.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Tribe eligible to request repatriation
The Peabody Museum found hair clippings from one Native American individual (recorded as 22 years old and identified as “Mission”) collected at the Sherman Institute and determined they are affiliated with the Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians. The Mesa Grande Band, any lineal descendant, or another Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization that proves cultural affiliation may submit a written request to have the remains returned; repatriation may occur on or after February 6, 2026.
Requests, competing claims, and joint requests
Written repatriation requests must be sent to the Peabody Museum (address: Jane Pickering, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138; email: [email protected]). If competing requests are received, the museum must decide the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; joint requests are treated as a single request. The museum will send a copy of this notice to the identified tribe.
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