Heratio Help Center article. Category: Public Access.

Displaced Heritage Register User Guide

Overview

The Displaced Heritage Register traces objects that have been separated from their place or community of origin, and supports their virtual return. It records where a displaced object is now, where it came from, and the story of how it moved, then brings the object back into context digitally even when a physical return is not possible. The register is a public, transparent way to acknowledge displacement and reconnect objects with the places and people they belong to. Open it at /displaced-heritage.

What it does

The Displaced Heritage Register documents displacement and enables virtual reconnection:

• It lists displaced objects - items that have been moved away from their place or community of origin.
• It records the trajectory of each object: its origin, its current location, and how it came to be where it is.
• It supports a virtual return, presenting the object back in its original context digitally so the connection can be experienced even without a physical move.
• It offers a public, transparent view, so communities, researchers, and the public can see what has been displaced and follow efforts to reconnect it.

It is designed to handle displacement sensitively, foregrounding origin and context rather than only current custody.

How to use it

1. Go to /displaced-heritage to browse the register of displaced objects.
2. Open an entry to read its origin, its current location, and the account of how it was displaced.
3. Explore the virtual return - the object presented back in its original setting - to understand its meaning in context.
4. Follow links from an entry to the related catalogue records and any associated provenance or rights information.
5. Use the register to inform research, community engagement, or discussions about return and reconnection.

Good to know

• A virtual return reconnects an object with its context digitally; it is a way to restore meaning and visibility, and is independent of any physical return decision.
• Displacement records can be sensitive. The register aims to present origin and history respectfully, and access rules still apply to underlying records.
• Entries reflect the information currently documented. As provenance research advances, an object's trajectory may be refined.
• The register is public-facing and jurisdiction-neutral - it describes objects and their journeys without assuming any single legal framework for return.