Museums
Cambridge City Council Calls On Harvard to Return Human Remains of Enslaved People, Native Americans
Following reports last week that Harvard University holds the human remains of at least 19 individuals who were likely enslaved and nearly 7,000 Native Americans, the Cambridge City Council adopted a policy order urging the University to relinquish the remains to their descendants during a Monday meeting.
Harvard Holds Human Remains of 19 Likely Enslaved Individuals, Thousands of Native Americans, Draft Report Says
Harvard University holds the human remains of at least 19 individuals who were likely enslaved and almost 7,000 Native Americans — collections that represent “the University’s engagement and complicity” with slavery and colonialism, according to a draft University report obtained by The Crimson.
After Agreeing to Repatriate Ponca Tomahawk, Peabody Museum Awaits Visit from Tribal Leaders
The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology removed a pipe tomahawk that once belonged to Ponca chief Standing Bear from its collections last September, after calls for the museum to return the tomahawk to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma garnered international attention.
Harvard Art Museums Implement 'ReFrame' Initiative
The Harvard Art Museums have made progress in implementing their “ReFrame” initiative, which was announced last fall. The initiative aims to bring previously unseen collections out of storage and reframe existing curations.
HMSC Museum Opening
Beginning on November 26th, visitors were allowed back inside the HMSC Museums with a timed ticket reservation, for the first time since March 2020.
Visitors Laud Science and Culture Museums’ Public Reopening
After an extended shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture and its programs reopened to both Harvard affiliates and the general public last week.
Mass. Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments Over Harvard’s Possession of Photos Depicting Enslaved People
In the opening salvo of their effort to appeal the March dismissal of Lanier v. Harvard, lawyers for Tamara K. Lanier and Harvard argued before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court about whether the University unlawfully possesses and profits from historic photos Lanier says depict her enslaved ancestors.
HMSC Fireside Chat
Brenda D. Tindal, the executive director of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, held a conversation on Tuesday night about her priorities in this new role.
Tindal Lays Out Vision as New Museums Director, Addresses Recent Controversies
Brenda D. Tindal, the new executive director of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, shared her vision for the HMSC and her passion for museums, community engagement, and civic dialogue during a virtual fireside chat Tuesday evening.
Documentary on Harvard Daguerreotypes Lawsuit Premieres as Court Hearing Looms
A documentary on a Black woman trying to reclaim her family’s history by suing Harvard University over its possession of photographs depicting her enslaved ancestors premiered Friday at a Harvard Square movie theater.
Affiliates Celebrate Reopening of Harvard Art Museums
The Harvard Art Museums welcomed back students and Cambridge art lovers in early September, nearly 18 months after shutting their doors in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Harvard Art Museums
After being closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic, the Harvard Art Museum reopened to the public on Saturday.
Harvard Art Museums to Require Proof of Vaccination, Negative Covid Test
Martha Tedeschi, the Art Museums’ director, said in a press release the new policy prioritizes the safety of visitors and staff considering the state of the pandemic across the country.
City Council Approves Baldwin Neighborhood Name, Replacing Agassiz
The Cambridge City Council on Aug. 2 unanimously approved the renaming of the Agassiz neighborhood north of Harvard to honor Maria L. Baldwin, the first Black female principal in the Northeast.
