Document

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Boston Children's Museum, Boston, MA

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the defin...

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
  1. [N7528; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043891; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES:

Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or after October 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to Melissa Higgins, Boston Children's Museum, 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, email .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of Boston Children's Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

A total of two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The two sacred objects are Pōhaku Poho (stone lamps).

The two Pōhaku Poho were purchased by Boston Children's Museum in 1968 from Joseph A. O'Leary of Opa-Locka, Florida. Both were labeled with legacy tags as being from Kauai.

All of these items have cultural associations with Hui Iwi Kuamo`o. No potentially hazardous substances are known to have been used to treat any of these items.

Determinations

The Boston Children's Museum has determined that:

Requests for Repatriation

Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after October 30, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Boston Children's Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and not competing requests. Boston Children's Museum is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting parties. ( printed page 61867)

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

Dated: September 24, 2026.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.

[FR Doc. 2026-19992 Filed 9-29-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4312-52-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

91 FR 61866

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Notice of Intended Repatriation: Boston Children's Museum, Boston, MA,” thefederalregister.org (September 30, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-19992/notice-of-intended-repatriation-boston-children-s-museum-boston-ma.