Respectful Guide: Safely Opening a Memorial Urn

There are a few reasons you may want to open an urn. A common reason is to spread the loved one's ashes in a particular location. Other reasons may include the desire to add the ashes of another loved one to the urn. You may also wish to add keepsakes or artifacts to the contacts. Although opening an urn is usually very simple, you should exercise extreme caution when doing so. You don't want to spill any of the ashes.

Step 1

Inspect the top, bottom, and sides of the urn to find the access plate and its screws.

Step 2

Inspect the screws to determine what type of screwdriver you'll need, and then remove the screws from the access plate.

Step 3

Pull the access plate away to open the urn and access its contents.

Tip

Many urns open from the top. In this situation, the urn may have no screws. Simply pull the lid upward gently to remove it.

If the urn has been permanently sealed, you may have trouble opening the lid or access plate. Consult a professional who works with urns to explore your options.

Wooden and ceramic urns generally open from the top. Metal urns may open from the top or from an access plate.