Have you visited The Museum at The Cliff and left wanting to know more about the Egyptian artifacts on loan from our partner, the Global Museum at SF State? Well, you're in luck! They're part of a virtual panel discussion sponsored by the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility that will discuss the complicated legacy of artifacts collected by Adolph Sutro on Wednesday, February 23, 12:10-1:00pm.

Museum legacy collections often comprise archaeological objects and human remains purchased from the antiquities market. From a 21st century museum and archaeological perspective, these collections require a level of care and research that necessitates examining their legacy, meaning, and use. Acknowledging these inherited histories and reevaluating these legacies often means museums must address the loss of object context, the problematic practices of colonial collecting, and the traumatic histories of racial bias and racist narratives often presented to the public.

This talk examines the case study of removing a collector’s name from the title of a collection of Egyptian antiquities formerly known as the Sutro Egyptian Collection stewarded by the Global Museum at San Francisco State University. By examining this case study through a diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion lens, this brief lecture will explore how the Global Museum is reckoning with the legacy of this collection that was formed in the late 19th c. and publicly displayed throughout the 20th c. in an institution (the Sutro Baths) that was the site of racial discrimination in the 1890s.

Speakers include Lisette M. Jimenez, Assistant Professor, SFSU Museum Studies Program; Edward M. Luby, Professor and Director of the SFSU Museum Studies Program as well as Interim Director and Chief Curator of the Global Museum; Christine A. Fogarty, Associate Director of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program; and Gina Caprari, Registrar of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program. This panel will discuss some of the practical steps taken by the Global Museum to address problematic issues of ownership and the colonial history of this collection while also being more transparent and providing public access to the collection. Together, we will advocate for a self-reflective curatorial and educational process that explores past legacies and creates more inclusive legacies in the Global Museum.

See the link below in the "More Info" section to register for this virtual Zoom event and please contact the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility with any questions: arf-programs@berkeley.edu.