Indigenous Collections and Repatriation (ICAR)

The Indigenous Collections and Repatriation department at the Royal BC Museum works with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities across British Columbia to care for and return cultural belongings.

The department also supports community access to the museum’s collections and helps ensure that Indigenous perspectives shape how these materials are preserved and shared. 

Why This Work Matters

The Royal BC Museum cares for thousands of items, held in trust, that reflect the languages, histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples in BC. These include ceremonial objects, tools, regalia, photographs, recordings and artworks—some created generations ago, others more recently. Many of these belongings hold deep cultural significance and are connected to living traditions. 

We are committed to supporting Indigenous communities in reclaiming, researching and caring for cultural belongings on their own terms. 

Supporting Repatriation and Access

The museum works with communities to return cultural belongings and ancestral remains. Our team helps facilitate repatriation by identifying items in the collection, supporting documentation, and ensuring respectful handling and return. 

In some repatriation cases, communities have expressed a desire for the museum to retain their belongings and to transfer the ownership back to the communities, while others have wished for their belongings to be physically returned home. Through ongoing communication, community visits, and open dialog we are working with communities to ensure that their wishes for their belongings are being honored, whether that is through repatriation, or other aspects of museum work. 

We also help provide access to collections for community members, artists, researchers and educators. 

This work is guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and grounded in ongoing conversations with communities. 

Collection Areas

The Indigenous collections at the Royal BC Museum represent thousands of years of culture, language and history. These collections include a wide range of materials—each one connected to specific communities and places across British Columbia. 

What’s in the Collection

Why It Matters

These collections are used by Indigenous communities, artists, researchers and educators to support cultural knowledge, community history and language revitalization. They are an important resource for learning, collaboration and ongoing dialogue. 

The Royal BC Museum recognizes that relationships with Indigenous communities continue to evolve. Many nations are reclaiming stewardship of their histories while also choosing how and when to share cultural materials. We are committed to supporting Indigenous sovereignty and working together in respectful partnership.