Who Owns History? The Parthenon Marbles Debate

Full Episode description

Should the Parthenon (often called the “Elgin”) Marbles be returned to Greece? In this episode of Kids Law, Alma-Constance and Lucinda explore one of the biggest cultural and legal debates in the UK. The ancient sculptures were taken from the Parthenon temple in Athens over 200 years ago and are now displayed in the British Museum. Some people believe they were legally acquired. Others argue they should be reunited with the rest of the temple in Greece. So what does the law say? And can the law change?

We’re joined by solicitor Mark Stephens CBE, consultant at Howard Kennedy and a long-time campaigner for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. Mark explains:

• How Museum laws developed over time
• Why national museums in the UK currently cannot return objects, even if they want to
• Why some countries say cultural objects are more than “museum pieces” — they are part of identity
• What “provenance checking” means and why it matters today
• Whether returning objects would empty museums — or make them fairer

We also explore:

• Why learning from the past isn’t the same as judging it
• Whether the age of criminal responsibility (currently 10 in England and Wales) is too young
• Why lowering the voting age to 16 could strengthen democracy
• How the law evolves as society grows up

Mark shares his belief that the law is strongest when it protects the smallest voices — and that asking questions is often where change begins.

When he was 10, Mark says he was very curious, asked a lot of questions and cared about fairness a lot.

As always, Kids Law helps young people understand how laws affect them — and how they can shape the future.

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 References

https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/time-to-rethink-our-museums-and-return-stolen-goods-says-high-profile-lawyer/5110128.article

The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles

https://www.parthenonuk.com/component/tags/tag/mark-stephens-cbe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Stephens_(solicitor) 

The Art Newspaper

Howard Kennedy

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