The White Home plans to conduct a wide-ranging assessment of the Smithsonian Establishment’s museum exhibitions, supplies and operations forward of America’s 250th anniversary subsequent yr to make sure the museums align with President Donald Trump’s view of American historical past, a White Home official confirmed to ABC Information.
In a letter despatched to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Establishment, the White Home writes that it desires to make sure that the museums “mirror the unity, progress, and enduring values that outline the American story.”
The White Home writes that in accordance with a March govt order, “Restoring Reality and Sanity to American Historical past,” officers will likely be main a “complete inner assessment of chosen Smithsonian museums and exhibitions. This initiative goals to make sure alignment with the President’s directive to have fun American exceptionalism, take away divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural establishments.”
The Smithsonian Establishment’s Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past is seen from the Washington Monument, June 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Kevin Carter/Getty Photographs
The assessment will concentrate on a number of key areas, together with analyzing public-facing content material, similar to exhibition texts, web sites and social media “to evaluate tone, historic framing, and alignment with American beliefs.”
As well as, the assessment will study the curatorial course of, present and future exhibitions, how present supplies and collections are used and the event of “constant curatorial pointers that mirror the Smithsonian’s authentic mission.”
For now, the assessment will concentrate on eight Smithsonian museums:
- The Nationwide Museum of American Historical past
- The Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past
- The Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition
- The Nationwide Museum of the American Indian
- The Nationwide Air and Area Museum
- The Smithsonian American Artwork Museum
- The Nationwide Portrait Gallery
- The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Backyard
In an announcement, the Smithsonian Establishment stated: “The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep dedication to scholarly excellence, rigorous analysis, and the correct, factual presentation of historical past. We’re reviewing the letter with this dedication in thoughts and can proceed to collaborate constructively with the White Home, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents.”
ABC Information’ Deena Zaru contributed to this report.
