San Diego Museum Returns Ancient Stones and Beads to Tribes
Published Date: 5/5/2026
Notice
Summary
The Museum of Us in San Diego plans to return 71 Native American cultural items, like stones, beads, and ornaments, to the tribes they belong to. These items were taken long ago from sites in California and will be repatriated starting June 4, 2026. This move respects Native heritage and involves no cost to the public, just a big step toward honoring history.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation of 71 Native items
The Museum of Us intends to return 71 unassociated funerary objects (including grooved stones, glass trade beads, historic Chinese coins, projectile points, Haliotis ornaments, and other items) that were removed between 1930 and 1936. The Museum has identified a cultural affiliation with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California, and repatriation may occur on or after June 4, 2026.
Who may request repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are culturally affiliated. Repatriation to a requestor may occur on or after June 4, 2026; if competing requests are received the Museum of Us must determine the most appropriate requestor, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-04606, Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves
The National Park Service wants to update hunting and trapping rules in Alaska’s national preserves to bring back long-standing practices that support state-authorized wildlife harvests and public access. These changes affect hunters, trappers, and anyone using Alaska park lands, aiming to balance conservation with local traditions. You’ve got until April 9, 2026, to share your thoughts—no new fees or costs are expected.
2026-18306, Official Trail Marker for Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail
This notice issues the official trail marker insignia for the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail in the National Trails System. The original graphic image for Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail was developed in 2026 with the completion of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Comprehensive Plan. The National Park Service and related agencies have officially adopted and use this insignia to help mark all designated alignments of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail.
2026-17902, Bicycle Use in Park Areas
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to modify the procedural requirements in existing NPS regulations for the designation of roads and trails for bicycle use within park areas. The changes would align NPS regulations with applicable Federal law and policy, remove unnecessary requirements, and ensure public involvement when needed. The changes in this rule would allow the NPS to manage its resources and allocate taxpayer funds more efficiently and streamline the approval of new and expanded opportunities for use and enjoyment of park areas by the American public.
2026-17186, Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
The American Museum of Natural History plans to return a special ceramic smoking pipe with a human face to the Stockbridge Munsee Community, as it’s linked to their Mohican ancestors. This repatriation may happen on or after September 23, 2026, following Native American laws protecting cultural items. No money changes hands, but the museum is making sure history and respect go hand in hand!
2026-17198, Gulf Islands National Seashore; Personal Watercraft
The National Park Service revises special regulations governing the use of personal watercraft at Gulf Islands National Seashore. This rule reduces the distance of flat wake speed zones from certain shorelines and codifies existing closures at West Petit Bois Island and the Fort Pickens ferry pier.
2026-16388, Powered Micromobility Devices
The National Park Service finalizes a management framework for the use of powered micromobility devices within the National Park System. The final rule defines powered micromobility devices separately from motor vehicles, traditional bicycles, electric bicycles, and human powered coasting devices, and creates rules for where and how they may be used in units of the National Park System. Examples of powered micromobility devices include electric scooters (e- scooters), hoverboards, and Segways.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-08759, Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Us, San Diego, CA
The Museum of Us in San Diego has finished checking its collection and found human remains and objects linked to Native American tribes. Starting June 4, 2026, these remains and items can be returned to the tribes that they belong to. This is a big step in respecting Native cultures and making sure their history is honored properly.
Next: 2026-08761, Notice of Inventory Completion: Warren Anatomical Museum Collection, Center for the History of Medicine in the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Harvard’s Warren Anatomical Museum has finished checking its collection and found human remains linked to Native American tribes near Lake Superior. Starting June 4, 2026, these remains and a special glass jar can be returned to the tribes. This means respectful repatriation is on the way, with no costs for the tribes involved.