In 1990 the United States enacted a federal law the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq. (1990) (NAGPRA). This law outlines a process for museums and federal agencies to return Native American ancestors (human remains), funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to federally recognized Native American tribes, lineal descendants and Native Hawaiian organizations. Any museums that receives Federal funds must comply with the law and repatriate Native American cultural objects. The museum must also identify and report all Native American ancestors (human remains) and cultural objects in Inventories and Summaries of the collection and give notice via the NAGPRA Federal Register prior to the repatriation. The Indianapolis Museum of Art stewards a collection of Native American objects and is committed to consultations with tribal communities.

For potential claims, please contact Jennifer Gallatin Rigsby, Registrar for Permanent Collections, and Robin Cooper, Manager of Curatorial Affairs.