Plunder?

How Museums Got Their Treasures

By: Justin M. Jacobs

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Paperback | 1 January 2026

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216 Pages

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19.8 x 12.9 x 2.5

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In this thought-provoking new work, historian Justin M. Jacobs challenges the widely accepted belief that much of Western museums' treasures were acquired by imperialist plunder and theft. The account re-examines the allegedly immoral provenance of Western collections, advocating for a nuanced understanding of how artefacts reached Western shores. Jacobs examines the perspectives of Chinese, Egyptian and other participants in the global antiquities trade over the past two and a half centuries, revealing that Western collectors were often willingly embraced by locals. This collaborative dynamic, largely ignored by contemporary museum critics, unfolds a narrative of hope and promise for a brighter, more equitable future a compelling reassessment of one of the institutional pillars of the Enlightenment.

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