Debate: Should Museums Investigate the Origin of Artifacts?

Stolen objects are a problem for museums throughout the world. Collectors who sell stolen objects to museums often falsify the history of ownership, making the crime difficult for museums to detect. Museum curators say that when theft is brought to their attention, they are willing to return stolen pieces, but they lack the resources to investigate each object in their collection. Others argue museums need to do more to ensure the objects in their possession have been lawfully obtained. Listen to learn about ancient artifacts returned by New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to the countries where they were created and then debate: Should museums investigate the origin of artifacts?