Indigenous collection policies

Access to the collections

Access to the collections is available to the general public, students, researchers, other museum workers and people from communities which made the artefacts, where:

access is consistent with the Museum's philosophy and policies relating to ethnographic archeological collections, particularly in regard to Aboriginal Collections. Separate procedures, administered by the Aboriginal Heritage Unit, apply to Aboriginal secret/sacred material and the Aboriginal human remains;
access to and use of the collections is not detrimental to the proper care and survival of the objects;
appropriate staff are available to supervise the visitor where necessary.

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Unit has been developed specifically to address the issues of access and community involvement and liaison.

Repatriation

Information relating to the repatriation of Aboriginal human remains and secret/sacred collections and significant Aboriginal cultural materials can be found in the Policies and Procedures Document for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections and Related Issues available from the Aboriginal Heritage Unit staff.

The Australian Museum's policy of repatriating material extends beyond Australia's national boundaries to appropriate institutions overseas where cultural ownership of the material can be established and where those institutions can demonstrate their ability to preserve and maintain the items. Repatriation of material has been made to Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and, on behalf of the Kwakiutl people of the north-west coast, to the Canadian Museum of Civilisation. For information relating to the Australian Museum's repatriation policy, contact the Anthropology Collection Manager, Leanne Brass.

Australian Indigenous Collections

The Australian Museum has developed a policy for the issues involved in the management of the Australian Indigenous collections. This is the "Policies and Procedures Document for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections and Related Issues" and is administered by the Aboriginal Heritage Unit, contact Phil Gordon.