Plunder?

How Museums Got Their Treasures

Justin M. Jacobs

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Reaktion Books
01 January 2026

Museums & museology; History; Society & Social Sciences

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.

By: Justin M. Jacobs
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
ISBN: 9781836391081
ISBN 10: 1836391080
Pages: 216
Publication Date: 01 January 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction Chapter 1: Presents and Plunder Chapter 2: Dealers Chapter 3: Excavations and Expeditions Conclusion References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

Justin M. Jacobs is associate professor of history at American University. He is the author of Indiana Jones in History and Xinjiang and the Modern Chinese State. He also serves as editor of The Silk Road journal and hosts Beyond Huaxia, a podcast on East Asian history.

Reviews for Plunder?: How Museums Got Their Treasures

'The strength of Mr. Jacobs’s [polemic] is to remind us that the origins of great museum collections cannot be reduced to any one story.' – Hugh Eakin, Wall Street Journal 'Challenges the widely accepted assumption that many western museum treasures were acquired by imperialist plunder and theft, arguing for a nuanced understanding of how they reached western shores. – Dalya Alberge, The Observer 'Lively and provocative . . . a riposte to those who believe all museum collections to be illegitimately come by. – JJ Charlesworth, The Daily Telegraph