Established by the German Lost Art Foundation in 2019, the day aims to shine a spotlight on the crucial but often behind-the-scenes work of provenance researchers. Their mission? To investigate the ownership history of artworks and artefacts, ensuring that institutions are stewards of culture—not of looted or illicitly traded cultural property.

Provenance research is about more than just filling in the blanks of a museum label. It involves meticulous detective work: poring through archives, old photographs, dealer records, shipping documents, and personal correspondence to reconstruct an object’s journey through time. In some cases, that journey reveals ties to war-time looting, colonial exploitation, illicit excavations, or forced sales under duress.

The International Day of Provenance Research highlights not only the successes of this field—such as the repatriation of artworks to the heirs of Holocaust victims or the return of sacred objects to Indigenous communities—but also the ethical questions that institutions must confront who house suspect material in  their collections. Highlighting this day encourages transparency, collaboration, and public dialogue around the issues of cultural heritage and ownership.

From seminars and exhibitions to digital campaigns and published reports, organizations worldwide use this day to share discoveries, raise awareness, and promote best practices in provenance research. It serves as a reminder that the objects we admire in galleries and museums carry stories—sometimes uncomfortable ones—that deserve to be told with honesty and integrity.

As calls for restitution and ethical collecting grow louder, the work of provenance researchers has never been more vital. On this International Day of Provenance Research, ARCA honours their dedication and reaffirms our commitment to historical justice, cultural respect, and the truth behind every art work and artefact.

Every work of art tells a story.  It is time to listen.