Podcast Episode: Curating the Dead. Human Remains in Museum Contexts

In this podcast episode, Franziska Wasserberg, a Master's student in Art History at the University of Vienna, delves into the ethical, legal, and curatorial challenges surrounding human remains in museum collections. As part of Prof. Noémie Etienne’s seminar on Provenance Research, she focused on the repatriation of Toi Moko—preserved Māori tattooed heads—from the Natural History Museum Vienna to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Through insightful conversations with experts—Prof. Sabine Eggers (NHM Vienna), Lisa Noggler and Bianca Ober (Museum der Völker, Schwaz), and Dr. Amber Aranui (Te Papa)—this episode examines the complexities of provenance research, the impact of colonial collecting practices, and the evolving responsibilities of museums in handling human remains today.