The Penn Cultural Heritage Center (PCHC) launched a comprehensive three-year study known as the “Museums: Missions and Acquisitions Project” (M2A Project), which will assess current acquisition standards and develop a more ethical framework for U.S. museums. The M2A Project stems from the center’s Cultural Property Experts On Call (CPEOC) Program, a partnership with the U.S. Department of State to assist law enforcement in identifying cultural objects in investigations.
The M2A Project seeks to address these challenges by identifying the ways museums are acquiring objects today and how collecting fits within the broader social purpose of museums—now and in the future.
Dr. Brian I. Daniels, Director of Research and Programs at PCHC
With funds from a National Leadership Grant, researchers will interview and workshop with stakeholders from prominent museums. The goal is to encourage transparency and accountability when museums and institutions acquire cultural artifacts that could result from armed conflict, theft, and looting.
Researchers will also document the lifecycle of museum collections—from acquisition to deaccessioning—and explore how these practices align with each institution’s mission. By analyzing current collecting behaviors, the project hopes to answer the following questions:
- What constitutes an ethical acquisition?
- Is continued collecting necessary?
- How should museums respond when the legal or ethical ownership of their collections is questioned?
Several high-profile looted artifact restitutions have increased public awareness of ethical oversights, and more institutions and individuals are scrutinizing the origins of their acquisitions. As the M2A Project progresses, it should provide guidelines by 2027.
For antique collectors, this study underscores the importance of provenance—the documented history of an item’s ownership. Ensuring that antiques have clear, legal origins not only aligns with ethical standards but also enhances the value and authenticity of a collection.
