In Raiders of the Lost Ark, what does Indiana Jones say belongs in a museum?

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones says, “It belongs in a museum!”

Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, says the line while confronting a rival archaeologist over an ancient artifact. It captures his stated belief that historically important objects should be preserved and studied rather than treated as private loot.

The quote is especially notable because Indiana’s actions are more complicated than his slogan. He is an adventurer who retrieves artifacts from dangerous sites, often before rival treasure hunters can take them, while also working within academic institutions. The line therefore expresses both his professional identity and the film’s playful moral tension.

The phrase is sometimes expanded incorrectly to “It belongs in the British Museum.” The film does not specify that institution in the quote. Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981 and was the first film in the Indiana Jones series.