Two museums in Scotland are removing the mummies of ancient Egyptians from public view due to a lack of “consent” from the deceased or their descendants, the BBC reports.
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the Hunterian Art Gallery, both in Glasgow, have taken the human remains off display. Glasgow Life, the charity that manages the Kelvingrove, said the decision was made in the “absence of consent from the deceased individual or their descendants.”
The charity added that “the removal of human remains from display at Glasgow Life museums reflects contemporary museum practice.”
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“The International Council of Museums’ revised Code of Ethics, published in June 2026, states that ‘Museums should uphold the inherent dignity of human remains and promote respect for their significance,’” the statement continued.
The mummy in question at the Kelvingrove is the Egyptian priest Nekht, who lived around 3,500 years ago.
The Hunterian said that while the remains of one of its mummies, Lady Shep-En-Hor, will be covered, the sarcophagus will remain on display.
“As part of its commitment to becoming a more ethical institution, The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow is considering its holdings of archaeological and anatomical human remains across all sections of its collections,” the museum said in a statement.
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