With the 250th anniversary of the US coming in the next year, the Trump administration is requiring Smithsonian museums to “replace any divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions.”
In a letter written to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch by Special Assistant to the President Lindsay Halligan, along with staffers Vince Haley and Russell Vought, the White House detailed the vetting process and what will be vetted.
The following museums will undergo a vetting process, which must be completed within 120 days of receiving the letter:
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Museum of the American
- Indian National Air and Space Museum
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
These museums are being assessed in the following areas by the White House.
“1. Public-facing Content: A review of exhibition text, wall didactics, websites, educational materials, and digital and social media content to assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.
2. Curatorial Process: A series of interviews with curators and senior staff to better understand the selection process, exhibition approval workflows, and any frameworks currently guiding exhibition content.
3. Exhibition Planning: A review of current and future exhibitions, with particular attention to those planned for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
4. Collection Use: Evaluation of how existing materials and collections are being used or could be used to highlight American achievement and progress, including whether the Smithsonian can make better use of certain materials by digitizing or conveying to other institutions.
5. Narrative Standards: The development of consistent curatorial guidelines that reflect the Smithsonian’s original mission.”
According to the White House, museums must “submit all requested materials outlined in the first four bullet points above, including current exhibition descriptions, draft plans for upcoming shows, America 250 programming materials, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development.”
The letter further states, “A staff liaison from each museum will be designated to serve as the primary point of contact throughout the review process: Our team will begin on-site observational visits, conducting walkthroughs of current exhibitions to document themes, visitor experience, and visual messaging.”
The letter closes with a clarification of the White House’s aim concerning this museum initiative.
“This initiative aims 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,” the White House wrote. “By focusing on Americanism-the people, principles, and progress that define our nation-we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution.”
