The White House said on Tuesday that it will launch a sweeping review of exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution “to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
In a letter addressed to Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Secretary of the Smithsonian, White House officials said they would lead a “comprehensive internal review” of Smithsonian museums and exhibitions, focusing on areas including public-facing content, the curatorial process, and exhibition planning, among others.
“As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Nation’s founding, it is more important than ever that our national museums reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story,” the letter reads.
The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which obtained a draft of the letter before it was published on the White House’s website on Tuesday.
The review will initially focus on eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The White House said that other museums will be reviewed in “Phase II” of this initiative.
The letter cites an Executive Order that President Donald Trump signed in March, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” in which he criticized the Smithsonian Institution. The Executive Order claims that the Smithsonian “has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” and that Trump’s Administration “will restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness.”
A few months after the order was issued, tensions between the President and the Smithsonian mounted when Trump sought to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, calling her a “highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI.” The Smithsonian maintained that it had authority over personnel decisions and emphasized its history of independence in a June statement. It also said, however, that to reinforce its “nonpartisan stature” its governing Board of Regents, which includes both Democrats and Republicans, had directed Bunch to outline expectations to museum directors and staff regarding museum content and give them “reasonable time to make any needed changes to ensure unbiased content.” Sajet resigned days later, saying in a statement that she felt it was best for the institution.
In Tuesday’s letter, White House officials said their “goal is not to interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff, but rather to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage.”
Officials requested that each of the eight museums included in the initial phase of the review provide materials including programming related to the nation’s 250th anniversary, as well as catalog and programs for all current and ongoing exhibitions. Museum staff will have 120 days to make any changes requested by the Trump Administration, “replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions,” according to the letter.
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