# 2026-15508: Portland Museum Flags One Sacred Artifact for Tribal Handover

2026-15508, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, National Park Service published 2026-07-31, effective 2026-08-31 (as of 2026-08-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15508
- As of: 2026-08-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-15508
- Title: Notice of Intended Repatriation: Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; National Park Service
- Citation: 91 FR 48432
- Published: 2026-07-31
- Effective: 2026-08-31
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-08-07

## In one line

Portland Museum Flags One Sacred Artifact for Tribal Handover

## Summary

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Portland Art Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of a sacred object and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

## Effects PRIA read

- Portland Museum to Repatriate Bundle: benefit, low. The Portland Art Museum intends to repatriate a Nez Perce Medicine Bundle (object #87.88.99) that the museum has determined is a sacred object affiliated with the Nez Perce Tribe. The museum states repatriation of this item may occur on or after August 31, 2026.
- Who Can Request Repatriation: benefit, low. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not named in the notice may submit a written request for the item and must show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. Requests must be sent to the Portland Art Museum repres…
- Competing and Joint Requests Rule: cost, low. If competing requests for the item are received, the Portland Art Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; requests submitted jointly are treated as a single request. Any repatriation decision will be carried out on or after August 31, 2026.
- Arsenic Test Result: Negative: benefit, low. On June 2, 2026, object #87.88.99 was tested for arsenic contamination and the results were negative. This reduces a potential health or safety barrier to returning and handling the item.

## Related documents

- [2026-04606](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04606): Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves, 2026-03-10
- [2026-20013](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20013): Agency Information Collection Activities; Archeology Permit Applications and Reports, 2026-09-30
- [2026-20015](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20015): Agency Information Collection Activities; National Park Service Concessions Forms, 2026-09-30
- [2026-19996](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19996): Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA, 2026-09-30
- [2026-19002](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19002): National Park Service Alaska Region Subsistence Resource Commission Program; Notice of Public Meetings, 2026-09-16
- [2026-18306](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18306): Official Trail Marker for Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, 2026-09-09

## Sources
- [2026-15508 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/31/2026-15508/notice-of-intended-repatriation-portland-art-museum-portland-or)
- [2026-15508 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-31/pdf/2026-15508.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-15507, Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology,…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15507)
- [Next: 2026-15509, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15509)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15508 (as of 2026-08-07).