Manchester Museum Asks Visitors: Should Asru’s Mummy Stay on Display?

Manchester Museum is inviting visitors to share their views on whether the 2,700-year-old mummy known as Asru should remain on display. This comes as part of a broader decolonisation effort at the museum, which was named the 2025 European Museum of the Year. A plaque beside the exhibit reads: “Should we continue to display the body of Asru?” with a postbox nearby for anonymous feedback.

Asru, an affluent woman from ancient Thebes (located in modern Luxor), was mummified and displayed in Manchester since 1825, after her sarcophagus was donated by early 19th-century British collectors. Her presence in the museum is now raising questions about the legacy of colonial-era acquisitions and the ongoing ethical debate over exhibiting human remains taken during imperial rule.

The issue reflects wider public concern, including calls from UK MPs to ban the display of ancestral remains acquired during colonial periods. A 2025 report from the All‑Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations recommended ending the public display of human remains without consent and facilitating repatriation wherever possible.

As part of its wider “Decolonise!” trail, Manchester Museum has also recontextualised objects from Africa and Asia, pairing them with contemporary artworks and informational booklets that encourage questions about provenance, ethics, and climate justice.