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Some people believe that museums must return cultural treasures to their country
of origin if that country requests them, while other people believe that museums do
sometimes have a right to deny those requests.
Consider the claims on BOTH sides of the debate. Write an argumentative essay in
your own words supporting either side.
Be sure to use information from BOTH passages in your argumentative essay.
Bring Them Home
The magic of museums is that they transport visitors both back in time and across continents.
Museums preserve some of the most priceless treasures in the world and give many people an
opportunity to view wonders they would never otherwise have seen. However, take a moment to
ponder how often these artifacts from around the globe come to reside in a museum far away from
the country of their origin. Most often, museums acquire objects with full cooperation from the
originating country, either accepting them as donations or purchasing them outright. In addition,
many museums sponsor “traveling exhibits,” which means that they share their exhibits with other
museums located all over the world. Unfortunately, however, there are a number of examples where
museums acquired artifacts and other treasures that belong to another culture or country.
This is not to say that the museums intentionally stole these precious artifacts. In many cases,
protecting the artifacts motivated the acquisition. For example, the stunning marble sculptures
that once adorned the Parthenon temple in Greece were removed in the 1800s and transported
to the British Museum to preserve them from further damage. The Turkish government, which then
controlled Greece, gave permission for this undertaking. However, Greece has long since regained its
independence and now has urgently petitioned the British Museum to return this historic art. Greece
is eager to undertake the preservation of these priceless marble sculptures. In fact, a new Greek
museum has a special room designed to house these statues in the hope that the country’s wishes
and rights will be honored.
Like Greece, Egypt also wants to recover its historical treasures. The country is negotiating with
France, England, Germany, the United States, and other countries for the return of priceless pieces
of its history. In some cases, the archaeologists who discovered these treasures brought them to the
museums. However, in many cases thieves looted tombs and warehouses, later selling their goods to
museums. Egypt claims this happened, for example, to a historically priceless burial mask purchased
by a museum in St. Louis.
Greece and Egypt are not alone in their quests. Many other countries, including China, Iran, India,
and Turkey, are seeking the return of objects important to their cultures and histories. Since they now
have the desire and capability to preserve their treasures, they argue that it is only right that they
have the treasures themselves. It is impossible to ignore the power of these arguments. Whether
these relics were taken for noble reasons, such as preserving them, or taken as spoils of war or
colonialism, those countries currently in possession must make the moral decision to return these
pieces of history to their rightful homes.
Museums Preserve the Cultures of the World
Nations petition museums regularly to return artifacts that once came from their lands. Sometimes
museums agree that it is appropriate to return these items, but sometimes they do not agree. While
right of ownership might seem always to belong to the country of origin, there are many legitimate
reasons that a museum may decline such requests. Perhaps museum funds were used in the past
to legally purchase an exhibit with the full cooperation of the native country at that time. A change
in political power can motivate a “give me that back” attitude in a donor country. Perhaps the
museum that houses ancient treasures is far better equipped to preserve them from destruction and
deterioration. Most importantly, an excellent argument can be made that some treasures truly belong
to all citizens of the world, not just to those in their country of origin.
Throughout the centuries, many priceless antiquities have been lost or severely damaged. The
reasons for this often include the ravages of war, downright carelessness, and the erosion of time. For
example, of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one, the Pyramids of Giza, survives today.
Museums protect items of historical and cultural significance. Museum professionals are experts,
trained in the best ways to preserve and restore ancient art and other relics, and they are dedicated
to this mission. In the 1940s, one museum curator even risked his life as part of a World War II task
force charged with the mission to protect historical monuments and works of art from the war.
It is this need to preserve these irreplaceable objects that most often prevents museums from
returning them. For example, Germany still refuses to return the bust of Queen Nefertiti to Egypt
because such a long trip could cause irreversible damage to the ancient treasure. In other cases, the
stability of the original country calls into question its ability to protect artifacts.
Imagine a world where every country kept to itself all its ancient artifacts. The only way to experience
these wonders would be to travel to each country. Most people do not have the money to do this.
However, many national museums are free and others are relatively low cost. By housing important
artifacts from a variety of cultures, museums around the world allow people everywhere to experience
a taste of the history and art that helped to mold the world they live in today.
In order to promote this experience of a world culture, museums should be supported in their desire
to retain treasures that they have gathered over time. Their curators and boards of directors can
be trusted to make wise decisions about which artifacts to return and which ones to keep. These
antiquities are part of a shared history that spans many countries. They should be placed where they
will be safe, cared for, and enjoyed by millions.
Topic:
Claim 1:
Claim 2:
Bring them Home Argument 1:
Bring them Home Evidence 1:
Bring them Home Argument 2:
Bring them Home Evidence 2:
Museums Preserve the Cultures of the World Argument 1:
Museums Preserve the Cultures of the World Evidence 1:
Museums Preserve the Cultures of the World Argument 2:
Museums Preserve the Cultures of the World Evidence 2:
Hook:
Bridge:
Claim/Thesis:
Introduction (entire paragraph)