Museums hide mummies from public view due to lack of 'consent' from ancient Egyptians or their descendants

Two museums in Scotland have reportedly removed ancient Egyptian mummies from public view out of concern that they were displayed without the consent of the deceased.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of several museums in Glasgow, Scotland, that have changed their policies on displaying human remains. The BBC reported that Glasgow Life, which manages Kelvingrove, removed the mummified remains of the Egyptian priest Nekht, who lived more than 3,500 years ago, along with his painted coffin, in the "absence of consent from the deceased individual or their descendants."

A spokesperson for Glasgow Life told Fox News Digital, "The removal of human remains from display at Glasgow Life museums reflects contemporary museum practice."

"The International Council of Museums’ revised Code of Ethics, published in June 2026, states that ‘Museums should uphold the inherent dignity of human remains and promote respect for their significance,’" the spokesperson continued. "The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations 2025 report, ‘Laying Ancestors to Rest,’ also raises ethical concerns about the display of ancient Egyptian human remains due to the consistent disregard of the potential wishes of the ancestors and the intention of the communities that originally laid them to rest."

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"Glasgow Life Museums’ draft Human Remains Policy proposes that human remains should only be displayed where there is documented and informed consent from the deceased individual or, in appropriate circumstances, their descendants," the spokesperson concluded. "In the absence of such consent, we believe removing ancient Egyptian human remains from display is more respectful to the deceased individuals."

The Hunterian, another museum in Glasgow, said the elaborate sarcophagus, or decorated coffin, of Lady Shep-En-Hor will remain on display, but her mummified remains will be covered going forward.

When contacted by Fox News Digital, the Hunterian provided a press release which said, "As part of its commitment to becoming a more ethical institution, The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow is considering its holdings of archaeological and anatomical human remains across all sections of its collections."

Museums have faced growing questions about the ownership and display of artifacts acquired from other countries, particularly during periods of Western colonial rule. The Hunterian's decision also raises questions about whether museums should treat human remains from the United Kingdom differently from those originating abroad.

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"Human remains are among those items which The Hunterian seeks most keenly to return to their communities and nations of origin," the statement continued. "The Hunterian is also re-assessing what will be on display to the general public and, as part of its duty for the respectful care of these collections, it has decided to no longer put human remains from outside the UK on open display."

"After in-depth consideration and consultation with experts, including Egyptologists, The Hunterian has decided to continue to display Lady Shep-En-Hor’s sarcophagus as a fine work of Late Period Ancient Egyptian funerary art, but to cover the mummified person, so she can no longer be viewed," the statement added, specifying that "The Hunterian takes the view that the Lady Shep-En-Hor deserves privacy in death."

The decisions follow a revision to the International Council of Museums' (ICOM) Code of Ethics, which calls on museums to "uphold the inherent dignity of human remains and promote respect for their significance," according to the BBC report.

"Decisions about these items and collections should be made in collaboration with descendants or communities from which they originate, if known," the ICOM guidance added. 

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Steph Scholten, a professor who serves on ICOM's ethics committee, told the BBC that the guidelines can be interpreted differently by institutions.

"What the code of ethics puts forward is that these topics need careful consideration and decision making, they do not suggest one fixed outcome. Kelvingrove and The Hunterian have come to slightly different outcomes about our displays," he said. "The code of ethics does not prescribe that all human remains should be taken of display."