Trophies of War: Representing ‘Summer Palace’ Loot in Military Museums in the UK

British and French troops looted and destroyed the Yuanmingyuan (Summer Palace) during the Second Opium War, dispersing over a million imperial artifacts globally. This study reveals that military museums in the UK continue to display these artifacts, framing them as 'trophies of war' rather than acknowledging their cultural significance or the context of their acquisition through conflict. The research analyzes how five UK military museums represent these objects, highlighting the complex narratives constructed around China's imperial heritage in such institutional settings.

Tythacott, L. (2015). Trophies of War: Representing ‘Summer Palace’ Loot in Military Museums in the UK. Museum and Society, 13(4), 469–488. https://doi.org/10.29311/mas.v13i4.348