Museums’ Decision to Remove Mummies Due to ‘Absence of Consent’ Debated as ‘Woke Madness’

The decision by two Scottish museums to remove all human remains, such as mummies in their Egyptian displays, was due to a lack of consent from the deceased.

According to the Museums Association, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and the Hunterian at the University of Glasgow have removed or hidden the mummies in their respective Ancient Egyptian displays in an effort to be more in line with new guidance for the care of human remains in museums following a review from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Glasgow Life, the trust that manages Kelvingrove, said in a statement to the association that it removed the remains of an Ancient Egyptian priest, Nekht, from its public-facing exhibits in the “absence of consent from the deceased individual or their descendants.”

It added that the decision was more in keeping with “contemporary museum practices” regarding human remains and called the move “more respectful to the deceased individuals.”

The decision to get rid of human remains and mummies follows the publication of the International Council of Museums’ revised Code of Ethics over the summer, which requires museums to “uphold the inherent dignity of human remains and promote respect for their significance.” However, The Museums Association notes that the publication did not call for the removal of currently displayed remains.

The move has sparked backlash mostly from politicians and commentators. The outlet notes Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tories’ culture spokesman, called the move “woke madness.” On the other side of the debate, The Scotsman’s arts and culture correspondent, Jane Bradley, wrote that although “the idea of offending a mummy is plain bizarre [..] respect, on the other hand, is not.”

“Instead of asking why they have suddenly been removed, perhaps the question is why they have been there for so long in the first place?” she added.