Read: White House launches "comprehensive" review of Smithsonian exhibits
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The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
The Trump administration told the Smithsonian Institution it's launching a "comprehensive internal review" of the world's biggest museum and research complex, per a letter the White House released Tuesday.
The big picture: "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," states the letter to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch, signed by White House officials Lindsey Halligan, Vince Haley and Russell Vought.
- "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 letter says the action is in accordance with President Trump's March executive order on reshaping the Smithsonian and removing what he deems "improper ideology" from the institution.
Of note: The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in July removed mentions of Trump's two impeachments from an exhibit, before restoring his name to an impeachment display with revisions.
What to expect: The review will initially focus on the following museums before shifting focus to others:
- 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.
Zoom in: Each museum must submit within 30 days all requested materials, including current exhibition descriptions and draft plans for upcoming shows, according to the letter.
- An inventory of all permanent holdings must be submitted within 75 days and each museum "should finalize and submit its updated plan to commemorate America's 250th anniversary," among other requirements.
- Within 120 days, museums "should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials," per the letter.
What they're saying: "The Smithsonian's work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history," the institution said in a Tuesday statement emailed to outlets including Axios.
- "We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents."
- Representatives for the Smithsonian did not immediately respond to Axios' Tuesday evening request for comment.
Read the letter in full, via DocumentCloud:
Go deeper: Smithsonian denies artifact removal from African American history museum
