The American Museum of Natural History is responding to new federal regulations by closing two major halls that exhibit Native American objects. This decision comes as part of a nationwide trend among museums to comply with updated policies from the Biden administration, which mandate obtaining consent from tribes before displaying or researching cultural items. Other museums, including the Field Museum in Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, are also making changes to their displays. The closures at the American Museum of Natural History will leave nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space off-limits to visitors, and the museum is unsure when the exhibits will reopen. This move reflects a significant shift in the museum's approach and signals the beginning of a consultation process that may result in some objects never returning to display.