What Should Be Done With the Elgin Marbles? Using the History of the Controversy and Modern Considerations to Propose Best Practices

This paper is an analysis of the Elgin marbles repatriation debate. It includes historical, logical, legal, and ethical perspectives, and addresses the main arguments presented by professionals and scholars in the history and museum fields. It contributes to the field by analyzing all arguments that have been made regarding this debate, rather than focusing on one or two specific arguments, as has been the approach of previous scholarly work. This paper argues that the marbles from the Parthenon are an intricate part of the heritage and history of Greece. Presently, the marbles are not displayed together, but are instead separated into displays at both the British Museum and the Acropolis Museum. While the marbles may initially have been preserved better in London (at the time of their removal from Greece), this no longer holds true. Additionally, it is not clear whether the Elgin marbles were taken to London legally or illegally in the 1800s. Finally, according to modern ethical standards and practices in the museum field, the British Museum should repatriate the marbles to Greece to join the rest of the collection.