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 reexamines the allegedly immoral provenance of Western collections, advocating for a nuanced understanding of how artifacts 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.

Justin Jacobs is Professor of History at American University. He specializes in East Asian and global history and has written several books on modern China and the history of archaeology and museums, including The Compensations of Plunder: How China Lost Its Treasures. He is also the instructor for two Great Courses series on UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Beth Py-Lieberman is the author of The Object at Hand: Intriguing and Inspiring Stories from the Smithsonian Collections (Smithsonian Books, 2023). Until her retirement last December, she served as the Senior Museums Editor at the award-winning Smithsonian magazine, where as a thirty-six year veteran, she frequented the halls and galleries of the Smithsonian museums, educating readers on its history, art and science collections and exhibitions. Py-Lieberman was also the editor of the “At the Smithsonian” section of Smithsonian magazine. Founded in 1970, Smithsonian magazine entertains a national audience with its stellar photography and storytelling, as part of the Smithsonian Institution’s mission to “increase and diffuse knowledge.” The magazine’s print and digital audiences number more than 120 million, curious minds looking to better understand the world and its history, science, arts and culture.

You can preorder a copy of Plunder through our bookshop.org page here.

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