From the 1980s forward, patrimony laws have impacted major museum institutions around the globe. As source countries filed lawsuits against the cultural agents of former colonial empires, requesting return of antiquities and other cultural property, the response to due diligence by those foreign jurisdictions continues to be uneven. Conflicts over the rightful ownership of cultural property can also affect estate planning and probate proceedings. Beneficiary cultural institutions responsible for the accession, preservation, and management of those rare cultural objects can also decide to deaccession those gifted assets after the death of an estate holder, further complicating a matter.
Legal Definition of “Cultural Property”
Cultural property is distinct from personal or other forms of property within federal law. The United States recognizes the cultural property of sovereign tribal or foreign nations based on legal claims of territory, identity, or moral right. Rights to the ownership of registered cultural assets is considered a “superior claim” within international law; and supersedes “good faith” monetary transactions by collectors or museums.