Policy brief·London
UK museums face new scrutiny as minister orders human-remains guidance review
The UK government launched a review of guidance for museums holding human remains on 18 September 2026, following a written statement by arts minister Ruth Mackenzie. The review will be chaired by Sue Black.

The UK government launched a review of the guidance for museums holding human remains, the Museums Journal reported on 18 September. The review was announced in a written statement on 16 September by arts minister Ruth Mackenzie and will be chaired by Sue Black. It will examine how museums care for, display and make decisions about ancestral remains in their collections, an area of increasing public and institutional scrutiny as museums reckon with contested holdings.

