Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has removed an ancient Egyptian mummified head from display because, in its words, there was no informed consent from the deceased individual to exhibit it. The male head has been moved to storage and replaced with a notice reading: "We have removed human remains from this display as a mark of respect." The decision has provoked a backlash from Scottish conservative politicians, with one calling it woke madness.

According to the Times of London, the museum also withdrew the remains of a priest, a mummified hand from Luxor and a mummified foot. A spokesperson cited guidelines from the International Council of Museums, which urge that human remains be shown with respect and suggest restricted display or repatriation where remains hold continuing cultural or spiritual importance.

The move puts Kelvingrove among a growing group of institutions rethinking the display of human remains. The Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art still show mummified people, but National Museums of Scotland has since 2023 avoided the word "mummy" in its didactics, preferring "mummified person" and "mummified remains" to avoid dehumanizing language. The museum said that without such consent, removing ancient Egyptian human remains from display is more respectful to the deceased individuals.

Former deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives Murdo Fraser, now an MSP, told the Times that people visit museums to learn about ancient civilizations, not to see history hidden away because it fails to meet today's ideological standards. The episode has traveled widely online: one profanity-laden repost of a Daily Mail report on the removal drew more than 7,000 likes on X, amplifying a debate that is far from confined to Glasgow's galleries.