Showcasing authentic African cultural artifacts, including traditional hats and textiles, preserved in a museum environment.
In a significant move toward cultural restitution, Brighton & Hove Museums will return 45 artifacts to Botswana, marking one of the first major repatriations of its kind by a UK institution. The items, originally acquired in the 1890s, include clothing, tools, and household objects tied to the Gammangwato region. Their return follows a 2022 repatriation claim by the Khama III Memorial Museum in Serowe and is scheduled to coincide with the launch of a new permanent exhibition in May, accompanied by an international summit exploring heritage, ownership, and storytelling. Curators from both institutions emphasize that the move goes beyond physical relocation and is an “act of restoration” that allows the people of Botswana to reclaim their material culture and narrate their history on their own terms.
BBC