The Honorable Lonnie G. Bunch III
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
1000 Jefferson Dr SW
Washington, DC 20560
Subject: Internal Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions and Materials
Dear Secretary Bunch,
We would like to start by extending our gratitude for the recent insightful tour you provided of the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Your dedication to the Smithsonian Institution and its pivotal role in shaping the public’s understanding of American history and culture is commendable. We fully support your assertion that the Smithsonian should serve as “a welcoming place of knowledge and discovery for all Americans.” It is heartening to witness the commitment you and the Board of Regents have shown towards maintaining this institution’s educational and non-partisan mission.
As we approach the monumental 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, it becomes increasingly crucial for our national museums to embody the unity, progress, and core values that characterize the American narrative. In alignment with Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, we are embarking on a thorough internal review of select Smithsonian museums and exhibitions. This initiative seeks to ensure compliance with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism while eliminating divisive or partisan narratives, thereby restoring faith in our shared cultural institutions.
This review is intended to be a constructive and collaborative endeavor—one that respects the Smithsonian’s vital mission and its remarkable contributions. Our objective is not to disrupt the daily operations of curators or staff but to support a broader vision of excellence that emphasizes historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive representations of America’s heritage.
The review will concentrate on several key areas:
1. Public-facing Content
We will evaluate exhibition text, wall didactics, websites, educational materials, and digital and social media content to assess their tone, historical context, and alignment with American ideals.
2. Curatorial Process
We will conduct interviews with curators and senior staff to gain insights into their selection processes, exhibition approval workflows, and existing frameworks guiding exhibition content.
3. Exhibition Planning
Current and future exhibitions will be reviewed, particularly those linked to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
4. Collection Use
We will assess how existing materials and collections can better highlight American achievements and progress, including potential digitization and collaboration with other institutions.
5. Narrative Standards
The development of consistent curatorial guidelines that reflect the Smithsonian’s foundational mission will be prioritized.
Initially, our review will target the following museums, with additional reviews planned for Phase II:
- 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
Materials Request
To kick off this process, we kindly ask that each of the listed museums appoint a primary point of contact and provide the following materials to our team (including online content):
1. 250th Anniversary Programming
- Exhibition plans, draft concepts, and event outlines related to America 250.
- Supporting documents such as proposed artwork, descriptive placards, exhibition catalogs, event themes, and lists of invited speakers and events.
2. Current Exhibition Content
- Catalogs and programs for all current and ongoing exhibitions, complete with budgets.
- Digital files of all wall didactics, placards, and gallery labels currently on display.
3. Traveling and Upcoming Exhibitions
- An index of scheduled traveling exhibitions (2026-2029).
- Proposals, projected schedules, and preliminary budgets for upcoming exhibitions over the next three years.
4. Internal Guidelines and Governance
- Curatorial and staff manuals, job descriptions, and organizational charts.
- Documentation outlining the chain of command for exhibition approvals, scheduling, and content review.
- Internal communications or memos concerning exhibition or artwork selection and approval processes.
5. Index of the Permanent Collection
- Access to an inventory of all permanent holdings.
6. Educational Materials
- Teacher guides, student resources, and supplementary educational content linked to current exhibitions.
7. Digital Presence
- URLs and descriptions of official museum websites and exhibition-related microsites.
8. External Partnerships
- A list of active partnerships with outside contributors, including artists, historians, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations.
9. Grant-Related Documentation
- Copies of grant applications and funding agreements linked to past or current exhibitions, especially those influencing content or presentation.
- Current artists featured in the museum’s galleries who received a Smithsonian grant.
10. Surveys and Other Evaluations of Visitor Experience
- Responses to surveys and other evaluative measures concerning the experiences of visitors to the Smithsonian’s museums and users of digital content.
Timeline
To facilitate clarity and coordination among all parties involved, we have devised the following implementation timeline:
Within 30 days of receiving this letter, we expect:
- Each museum to submit all requested materials outlined in the first four bullet points, including descriptions of current exhibitions, draft plans for upcoming shows, America 250 programming materials, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development.
- A review of America 250 exhibition and program planning, with connections made to curators and staff regarding specific proposals.
- A designated staff liaison from each museum to serve as the primary contact throughout the review process.
- Our team to initiate on-site observational visits, conducting walkthroughs of current exhibitions to document themes, visitor experiences, and visual messaging.
Within 75 days:
- Museums are asked to submit the remaining documentation (items 5 through 10), including promotional literature, grant data, educational materials, and guided tour content.
- Our team will begin scheduling and conducting voluntary interviews with curators and senior staff to gain a deeper understanding of each museum’s goals and the overarching curatorial vision guiding the institution.
- Each museum should finalize and submit its updated plan to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, ensuring coordination with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force to align messaging and public engagement.
Within 120 days:
- Museums should commence implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically charged language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials.
If all benchmarks are met on schedule, we anticipate completing our review and preparing a final report for your consideration in early 2026. This report will include museum-specific assessments, institutional trends, and constructive recommendations for future exhibition strategies.
We view this process as a collaborative and forward-looking opportunity—one that empowers museum staff to embrace a revitalized curatorial vision grounded in the strength, breadth, and accomplishments of the American narrative. By focusing on Americanism—the people, principles, and progress that define our nation—we can collectively renew the Smithsonian’s stature as the world’s leading museum institution.
We look forward to collaborating with you and your team to ensure these iconic institutions remain vibrant, trusted, and inspiring for generations to come.
Lindsey Halligan
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Staff Secretary
Vince Haley
Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council
Russell Vought
Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Click here to view the signed letter.
