Notice2025-23201
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Museum of Science, Boston, Boston, MA
Primary source
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Published
December 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Museum of Science, Boston, intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59192-59193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23201]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6759; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041522; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Museum of Science, Boston,
Boston, MA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Museum of Science, Boston, intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred
objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
[[Page 59193]]
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after January 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Rebecca Melius, Museum of Science,
Boston, 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#73011e161f1a0600331e1c005d1c0114"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="32405f575e5b4741725f5d411c5d4055">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Museum of Science, Boston, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of six cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The six sacred objects are hand-held weapons made of wood. These
objects were given to the Museum by an individual donor in the 1950s as
part of an unexpected bequest, and provenance was not provided by the
late donor. In the early 20th century, the donor traveled to
Hawai[revaps]i, Samoa, and other Pacific Islands during his military
service and for personal reasons. The six objects described in this
notice are reasonably believed to have been acquired by the donor
during those tours. The six sacred objects have not been tested for the
presence of hazardous materials; they have not been treated with
hazardous materials in the past twenty years.
Determinations
The Museum of Science, Boston, has determined that:
<bullet> The six sacred objects described in this notice are
specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional Native American
religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional
Native American religion, according to the Native American traditional
knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo[revaps]o.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after January 20, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Museum of Science, Boston, must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a
single request and not competing requests. The Museum of Science,
Boston, is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian
Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and
to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: December 3, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23201 Filed 12-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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