How have some ethnography museums changed the way they present collections from other cultures?

Ethnography museums have significantly transformed how they present collections from other cultures, moving away from colonial-era practices that often treated objects as evidence of "savagery" or evolutionary progression.1

Key changes include:

• Inclusion of Diverse Perspectives: Modern museum practices emphasize incorporating the expertise of people from the cultures being represented, rather than relying solely on museum professionals.1
• Collaborative Representation: Institutions are increasingly working with source communities to ensure respectful and accurate portrayals. Some communities have even established their own cultural centers to manage their heritage directly.1
• Shift in Narrative Approaches: Museums have adopted varied strategies to address marginalized histories. Some, like the National Museum of African American History and Culture, utilize a multiculturalist approach to provide exclusive space for specific groups to tell their own stories. Others, like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, employ a holistic, thematic narrative intended to place all civilizations on an equal platform.2
• Ethical Engagement: There is a heightened focus on the ethics of collecting, access to data, and the ongoing, often contentious, process of repatriation of human remains and sacred objects to their cultures of origin.13