#MiPatrimonioNoSeVende: Mexico’s New Era of Cultural Repatriation

Gerardo Peña, A collection of objects returned to Mexico, 2025

By Sophia Molina

For decades, countries have demanded the return of cultural heritage as part of a global process of decolonization. Mexico, in particular, has embraced the movement in a very public way through an active social media campaign, #MiPatrimonioNoSeVende. The strategy has been successful in securing the voluntary return of thousands of archaeological objects. As the Mexican Government celebrates every recovered artifact as a victory for cultural sovereignty, many wonder whether bringing an object home is the same thing as preserving the country’s heritage. As Mexico's repatriation movement enters a new political era under President Claudia Sheinbaum, the challenge is no longer simply recovering artifacts from abroad, but determining what meaningful stewardship looks like once they return.

#MiPatrimonioNoSeVende