Q In 2012, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston received a gift of 34 objects taken from the Kingdom of Benin by the British in 1897. The MFA chose to accept the works and put them on display in the museum with the goal of sharing African culture with the world. Then director Malcolm Rogers said, "We know perfectly well we have every right in the world to own these beautiful pieces and make them available for the world public." The MFA's Benin Kingdom Gallery contains wall text that includes the following: Today, the ethics of collecting and displaying works removed from their places of origin during periods of European colonialism is a subject of debate among museums, local and national governments, collectors, and the public. The MFA displays these Benin artworks for the benefit of communities in Boston and abroad, and holds them in the public trust where they may be studied and viewed by all. If you were in charge of the MFA in 2012, would you have accepted this gift? Things to think about: 1. Thousands of people visit the MFA every year from all over the world. What better way to educate and inspire people to learn more about African culture than to have these Benin Bronzes on display? 2. Is the language of "education and open access" used by the MFA simply an updated and sophisticated way of justifying ownership of objects taken from other cultures? 3. Do you think the MFA treats African objects differently than those from Mediterranean cultures? 4. Does it matter to you where the objects would go if they were returned to Nigeria? Would there need to be a modern, climate-controlled, and safe place to exhibit them?