 The Sackler Gallery , part of the Smithsonian Institution , was due to host the US premiere exhibition of the Belitung cargo in early 2012 — a date set to coincide with the Smithsonian museum 's 25th anniversary celebration . On 28 June 2011 it was reported that the museum was postponing the show . The Sackler Gallery has received condemnation of the exhibition due to the time @-@ frame and nature of the original excavation of the artefacts ; with arguments put forwards about whether the display should be allowed . According to The New York Times , " a group of archaeologists and anthropologists from the National Academy of Sciences — including Robert McCormick Adams , a former leader of the Smithsonian " wrote to the head of the Smithsonian Institution , G. Wayne Clough , on 5 April 2011 claiming that " proceeding with the exhibition would ' severely damage the stature and reputation ' of the institution . " Proponents of the arguments against display say that the excavation was for commercial gain and conducted so quickly as to have caused a loss of information pertaining to the crew and cargo . The New York Times article goes on to say that further comments were made by " the Society for American Archaeology , the Council of American Maritime Museums and the International Committee for Underwater Cultural Heritage , as well as groups within the Smithsonian , including the members of the anthropology department and the Senate of Scientists at its National Museum of Natural History " all asking that the Smithsonian reconsider the exhibition . There are also claims that exhibiting the artefacts would be against international agreements on underwater excavations . Kimberly L. Faulk , a marine archaeologist and vice chairwoman of the non @-@ governmental Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology said that , " by proceeding with the exhibition the Smithsonian — which is a research institution as well as a network of museums — would be violating its own set of professional ethics and promoting the looting of archaeological sites . " 
