Imperial War Museum
Posted August 26th, 2008 by phl.costelloe
Location:
Lambeth RoadLocation:
LondonLocation:
SE1 6HZTelephone:
020 7416 5320Museum Website:
Museum WebsiteFunding Organisation:
DCMS and other fundraisingYLM Questionnaire Completed:
YesComment:
HR Count:
11HR Count Pre-Christian:
0How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance:
The museum holds eleven items, all of which are from the 20th century and therefore fall under the Human Tissues Act licensing.
How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?:
Half of the remains were exhumed, and all of these are clearly documented.
Where there are human remains in store, is there a history of use?:
Yes.
Where there are human remains in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?:
Yes.
Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?:
The IWM is undertaking a comprehensive review of its collections (2010). Human remains will be considered in this process in due course, but their review is not a priority.
What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?:
Information about the museum's collections are available on the public website, in the galleries and within their research facilities. The holocaust galleries carry specific information regarding the HTA licensing.
Are any of these remains currently on display and in what context?:
Hair from an Indonesian ceremonial machete constitutes the only human remains the museum has on display. The display relates to British operations in the Far East in the second half of the 20th century.