Smithsonian warning signs are being readied for installation near several museum sites in Washington, D.C., as the Trump administration moves to caution visitors about what it describes as bias at the Smithsonian Institution, with particular focus on the National Museum of American History.
In separate letters to U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said a commitment to transparency and academic honesty compels the administration to alert the public that the Smithsonian’s leadership and the National Museum of American History have shifted from accurately presenting the nation’s story to advancing personal, radical ideologies.
Murkowski, a Republican, and Merkley, a Democrat, lead the Senate Appropriations Committee subpanels that oversee Smithsonian funding, according to the correspondence.
The signs, described by officials as temporary, would be placed on National Park Service land and reflect a July executive order by President Trump titled Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution.
In a Sept. 3 letter, Burgum detailed several objections. He cited statements by American History Museum Director Anthea Hartig that history is a tool of social justice, asserted the museum seeks to legitimize illegal immigration and open borders, and alleged that some exhibits promote viewpoints inconsistent with biology, including ideologies that sex is not binary.
The letter also said visitors should be aware of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III’s purported history of invidious discrimination and anti-white animus.
The Smithsonian declined to comment on Burgum’s letter. In July, Bunch told staff in a letter that the Institution’s work is driven by scholarship, accuracy and a commitment to telling the full American story.
Bunch, a widely respected museum and academic leader, announced on Sept. 8 that he will retire at the end of the year. He said the timing was unrelated to criticism from the Trump administration.
The Interior Department said the sign text is not final. It estimated a cost of about 7,000 dollars per sign, or approximately 84,000 dollars in total.
Merkley, responding to the letter, called the move another step in a pressure campaign to undermine the Smithsonian’s independence and said he would work to protect the Institution’s ability to tell America’s story.
According to officials and public documents, the administration and congressional Republicans have sought changes at Washington institutions through executive orders and hearings. Proposals have included renovations at the Kennedy Center, a renaming to honor Trump, and consideration of a triumphal arch.
Debate over Smithsonian warning signs intensifies
Interior officials said outreach to Senate appropriators would continue as the National Park Service finalizes the design and placement of the signs. Murkowski has been asked for comment on the plan.