Walking between the grand columns and over the marble floors of the British Museum can be a breathtaking experience. Indeed, the complex houses some of the world’s most unique treasures and antiquities. But the museum’s tale is not only one of discovery and preservation, but also one of loss and theft. For centuries, artifacts from far-flung corners of the world have been taken from other cultural sites and brought to this institution, celebrated as symbols of global heritage.
Well, many now believe that the museum must face its colonialist past and return the artifacts to their rightful places. So, which relics in the British Museum can be considered stolen property? And how did the British Museum obtain these objects in the first place? Click through this gallery to find out.