British Museum in the UK Faces Demands to Return Artifacts to Four Countries

British Museum "Under Discussion... Artifact Names Not Disclosed"
Total of 12 Cases Since 2015

The British Museum in London, the largest national museum in the UK, is reportedly in discussions after receiving demands for the return of artifacts from at least four governments, according to the Telegraph on the 2nd (local time).

According to the outlet, the British Museum has received 12 requests for returns since 2015. Among them, four requests were made through confidential diplomatic channels without official documents or media announcements from foreign governments.

The British Museum in London, England. Photo by Wikipedia

The British Museum is the UK's top tourist attraction, drawing 6 million visitors annually. However, demands for the return of its artifacts, which are considered looted, persist. The UK refuses such return requests citing domestic laws that prohibit the permanent return of held cultural properties, instead offering long-term loans under the guise of cultural exchange.

The British Museum stated that it is communicating with the four governments involved but cannot disclose which artifacts are concerned. It added that the Rosetta Stone from Egypt, one of the museum's most popular artifacts, is not included. Last summer, the Rosetta Stone was not part of the British Museum's renovation plans, sparking speculation that it might be on a long-term loan.

In August last year, Chinese newspapers reported that all Chinese artifacts held by the museum should be returned. However, the Telegraph reported that the museum confirmed it has not received any official return requests from the Chinese government.