Glasgow museums remove Egyptian mummies from display; repatriation request received

Right · 1Glasgow Life, which manages Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, has removed ancient Egyptian human remains from display, including the mummified remains of the priest Nekht and his painted coffin, Fox News reported, citing the BBC. 1 Right · 1Hot Air, quoting another report, said a mummified male head was among the items removed, and that the changes came to light when a visitor posted on X a photo of a sign reading 'We have removed human remains from this display as a mark of respect.' 2 Right · 1A Glasgow Life spokesperson said the move reflects contemporary museum practice, pointing to the International Council of Museums' revised Code of Ethics, published in June 2026, and a 2025 report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations, 'Laying Ancestors to Rest'. 1

Right · 1Its draft Human Remains Policy proposes displaying remains only with documented and informed consent from the deceased or, in appropriate circumstances, their descendants; Glasgow Life says that without such consent removal is more respectful. 1 Centre · 1Glasgow Life confirmed it had received a request in the last few days to repatriate the remains of the priest Nekht to Egypt, first reported by The Sunday Post; it could not confirm who made the request. 3 Centre · 1The Evening Standard reported that a mummified male head, right foot and right hand from the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, have also been removed, and that work is under way to remove archaeological human remains from the History Discovery Centre and the Scotland's Early People gallery at Kelvingrove. 3

Centre · 1Glasgow Life said it intends to keep removing human remains as care and conservation allow, which is likely to take some time; they will eventually be held in restricted-access storage at the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, and work will then begin on a coffin and mummified remains at St Mungo Museum. 3 Right · 1The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow will keep the sarcophagus of Lady Shep-En-Hor on display as funerary art but cover her mummified remains, saying she 'deserves privacy in death' and that it will no longer openly display human remains from outside the UK. 1 Right · 1Steph Scholten, a member of ICOM's ethics committee, told the BBC the code does not prescribe one outcome or require all human remains to come off display, and that Kelvingrove and the Hunterian reached slightly different decisions. 1

Right · 1Hot Air described the change as a 'woke' row and noted that Glasgow Life is an arm's-length charity funded by SNP-run Glasgow City Council. 2