São José slave ship artifacts to depart Smithsonian for South Africa

Following the conclusion of a 10-year loan to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), wooden artifacts, including ship timber, from the São José slave shipwreck will return home to South Africa for long-term conservation and continued stewardship. Since the museum’s opening in 2016, the object has been on view in the “Slavery and Freedom” exhibition, thanks to a collaborative partnership and loan from the Iziko Museums of South Africa. Completing this loan is part of the museum’s broader collaboration with partners in South Africa, including the upcoming opening of the traveling exhibition “In Slavery’s Wake” at the Iziko South African National Gallery in May 2026. “The millions of visitors who have learned more about the Middle Passage through this loan from Iziko Museums have benefited in