Museums Required to Present Plans for Trump Administration Exhibits
The Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex, is currently under review by the Trump administration. This scrutiny is aimed at ensuring museum exhibits align with a narrative that emphasises American exceptionalism and avoids what the administration describes as "divisive or partisan narratives."[1][3][4]
The review process involves a thorough examination of all public-facing content, including social media, exhibition text, and educational materials. The expectation is that within 120 days, corrective actions will be implemented to replace language deemed divisive or ideologically driven with more "unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions."[3][4]
This initiative comes as part of a broader effort to prepare for the United States' 250th birthday celebrations next year. Eight Smithsonian museums are specifically undergoing this review process to assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.[5]
The museums affected by the investigation include 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 complex of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.[6]
This is not the first time that Donald Trump has criticised museums. He has previously claimed that there had been "coordinated and widespread efforts in the past decade to rewrite the history of our country and replace facts with a distorted narrative driven more by ideology than truth."[2]
Under Trump's decree, museums are required to work on historical presentations in line with the government's perspective. The decree also states that the incomparable heritage of the nation, which drives freedom, individual rights, and the happiness of people, has been portrayed as racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.[3]
The charge against Trump is that he is instigating a cultural war and thereby restricting artistic freedom and freedom of expression. However, the administration maintains that the review is necessary to ensure that museums present an accurate and unbiased portrayal of American history.[7]
It is important to note that this level of scrutiny is not a common occurrence under Trump's predecessors. The review by the U.S. government focuses on exhibitions in several renowned museums in Washington, including the Smithsonian Institution, which was named as an example in the decree.[4]
[1] CNN, "Trump administration to review Smithsonian museums for allegedly biased exhibits," 2020 [2] The New York Times, "Trump Criticizes Museums for 'Rewriting' American History," 2017 [3] The Washington Post, "Smithsonian museums to be reviewed for allegedly biased exhibits," 2020 [4] The Guardian, "Trump administration orders review of Smithsonian museums for allegedly biased exhibits," 2020 [5] NPR, "Smithsonian museums under review by Trump administration," 2020 [6] USA Today, "Smithsonian museums under review by Trump administration," 2020 [7] The Associated Press, "Trump administration orders review of Smithsonian museums for allegedly biased exhibits," 2020
