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NAGPRA Inventory Completion for Santa Barbara Museum

FR: Interior Department

Published March 19th, 2026

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The National Park Service published a notice of inventory completion for human remains and associated funerary objects held by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. This notice fulfills requirements under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Repatriation may occur on or after April 20, 2026.

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What changed

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Notice of Inventory Completion regarding Native American human remains and associated funerary objects under the custody of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. This notice, published in the Federal Register, formally documents the inventory and is a required step under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) before repatriation can occur.

While this notice is primarily informational and procedural, it signals that the museum has completed its inventory and is prepared to proceed with repatriation. Regulated entities, particularly museums and institutions holding Native American cultural items, should be aware of the NPS's ongoing implementation of NAGPRA. The notice specifies that repatriation may occur on or after April 20, 2026, indicating a potential transition period for any involved parties.

What to do next

Review NPS notice for any specific tribal consultation requirements.
Monitor museum's repatriation activities if directly involved or affected.

Source document (simplified)

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Notice

Notice of Inventory Completion: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA

A Notice by the National Park Service on 03/19/2026

Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of the Interior National Park Service Agency/Docket Numbers N6992 NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042344 PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000 Document Citation 91 FR 13330 Document Number 2026-05370 Document Type Notice Pages 13330-13331
(2 pages) Publication Date 03/19/2026 Published Content - Document Details
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Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of the Interior National Park Service Agency/Docket Numbers N6992 NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042344 PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000 Document Citation 91 FR 13330 Document Number 2026-05370 Document Type Notice Pages 13330-13331
(2 pages) Publication Date 03/19/2026 Published Content - Document Details
Document Dates Published Content - Document Dates Dates Text Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or after April 20, 2026. Published Content - Document Dates
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- AGENCY:
- ACTION:
- SUMMARY:
- DATES:
- ADDRESSES:
- SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
- Abstract of Information Available
- Cultural Affiliation
- Determinations
- Requests for Repatriation Enhanced Content - Table of Contents
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- Public Inspection Public Inspection This PDF is FR Doc. 2026-05370 as it appeared on Public Inspection on
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Department of the Interior

National Park Service

[N6992; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042344; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or after April 20, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this notice to Luke Swetland, President and CEO, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, email lswetland@sbnature2.org.

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 the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or related records. The ( printed page 13331) National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human remains include one reconstructed/repaired cranium and mandible donated by Miss Gladys Hodges, of Santa Barbara, CA, in 1980. This skull was likely discovered by Miss Hodges' tenant, William Thomas Frey (an art restoration enthusiast) while hiking in the hills around the Santa Barbara/Ventura region.

Human remains representing, at least, 19 individuals have been identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human remains include four crania, and more than 36 bones and bone fragments. These Ancestral remains are of unknown provenience and most likely have been in the Museum's possession since the early 1900s.

Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human remains include one cranium donated by the Santa Barbara State Teachers College in 1925.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains described in this notice.

Determinations

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has determined that:

The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of at least 21 individuals of Native American ancestry.
There is a connection between the human remains described in this notice and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:

Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.
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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.

Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after April 20, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and not competing requests. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

Dated: March 11, 2026.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.

[FR Doc. 2026-05370 Filed 3-18-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4312-52-P

Published Document: 2026-05370 (91 FR 13330)