Museum Returns Creepy Human-Faced Smoking Pipe to Mohican Tribe
Published Date: 8/24/2026
Notice
Summary
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!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Handling Warning for Potential Chemical Hazards
The museum states that it historically applied potentially hazardous pesticides to collection items and that records do not specify which objects or chemicals were treated. Anyone handling this pipe should follow the advice of industrial hygienists or medical personnel trained in occupational health or with potentially hazardous substances.
Museum to Repatriate Mohican Pipe
The American Museum of Natural History intends to return a ceramic smoking pipe with a human face that is affiliated with Mohican ancestors to the Stockbridge Munsee Community. Repatriation may occur on or after September 23, 2026, and written requests may be submitted by lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations to Nell Murphy at the American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024 or by email at [email protected].
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