Dekolonizacja w muzeach na przykładzie British Museum. Problem zwrotu Kamienia z Rosetty

Ada Szmulik

doi:10.21697/an.16227

Published: 2025-12-29

No. 9 (2025)

Decolonization in museums: the example of the British Museum. The problem of returning the Rosetta Stone

Ada Szmulik

Artifex Novus

Section: Varia

https://doi.org/10.21697/an.16227

Abstract

The article examines the issue of decolonization in museums, placing particular emphasis on the contemporary debate over the return of the Rosetta Stone as a key example of the challenges facing contemporary cultural institutions. It explores the global dimensions of this complex issue. The paper discusses the challenges that museums face in the context of decolonization, with particular emphasis on controversies surrounding the display of human remains and Eurocentric narratives, and proposes solutions. An analysis of British imperial policy towards Egypt, which resulted in the presence of the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, provides a framework for understanding restitution claims. The article also outlines the legal foundations of decolonization, such as UN Resolution 1514 and the 1970 UNESCO Convention, as well as more recent documents that inspire restitution efforts. The Polish context, though distant from the history of colonialism, is presented through museum initiatives and discussions in popular culture, demonstrating Poland’s inclusion in the global debate. The text ultimately focuses on the British Museum, which, as a symbol of encyclopedic museums, has become a central point of contention in the discussion on the return of artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone, a crucial element in this debate.

Keywords:

decolonization, Great Britain, British Museum, Rosetta Stone, restitution, museum

Decolonization in museums: the example of the British Museum. The problem of returning the Rosetta Stone

Abstract

Keywords:

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Ada Szmulik