A few long-standing exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History are being removed amid scrutiny over how human remains at the famed museum were acquired and being displayed.
Museum President Sean Decatur told NBC New York that the AMNH will be removing exhibit elements "that include human remains from 12 display cases."
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The reason behind the decision? Cultural sensitivity, Decatur said.
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"No individual consented to have their remains included in a museum collection," Decatur said.
That includes, in particular, African American descendants and Native American families that were not consulted about remains of their ancestors that were on display at the museum.
"From this painful legacy, it is our responsibility to develop a new ethical framework for our urgent work in this area," the museum president said.
The move is part of an evolving cultural reality, according to Jacob Morris, of the Harlem Historical Society. He also advised New York City a few years ago when the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio decided which statues to remove across the five boroughs.
The review included an Upper East Side statue of a doctor who had experimented on Black women, as well as the Thomas Jefferson statue removed from the City Council chambers.
"I think it’s timely," Morris said. "History is complicated, and where’s the line?"
Now one of the city's most famous and revered museums is reviewing what the public will be able to see.
"I think they should commend the museum for broadening its perspective on how it plans exhibits," Morris said.
