Lectures on Tap

Lectures on Tap - "Who Owns History? The Ethics of Artifacts in Museums "

Presented by The Den Theatre

This event has a 2 item minimum.

As museums in the twenty-first century reckon with their colonial pasts, what does that mean for the future of how we collect, display, and experience art and artifacts? In this provocative talk, historian and art historian Dr. Caroline Malloy explores the ethical questions surrounding repatriation: Who owns history? What makes an object “universal”? And how should museums balance cultural safety, politics, and public access?

Using famous cases like the Parthenon Marbles and the Benin Bronzes, Dr. Malloy will unpack global collecting controversies and invite you to consider how your favorite museum might change if certain objects were returned to their places of origin. She’ll also highlight what Chicago institutions are doing to work with international and national partners on these complex issues—and how technology might help “share the wealth.”

Dr. Malloy is a Chicago-based historian, book coach, and editor with a Ph.D. in Art History. She lectures internationally on world’s fairs, heritage, and national identity, and serves as a Resident Historian with Viking Ocean cruises.

The Den Theatre and comedy club is pleased to host Lectures on Tap on April 15, 2026 at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

Tickets are currently available at thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830.