The Smithsonian Institution has been forced to close all 21 of its museums in Washington, D.C., due to an ongoing U.S. government shutdown that began on October 1. The National Gallery of Art had already closed the previous weekend. The Smithsonian had initially used its own funds to remain open, first planning to close on October 6 and then extending operations through October 11, but ultimately could not continue. The shutdown stems from a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over health care policy. This closure follows a year of repeated attacks on the Smithsonian by the Trump administration, including an executive order denouncing the institution for promoting a "race-centered ideology" and the release of a list of condemned artworks related to migration and transgender identity.
This shutdown matters because it disrupts public access to one of the world's largest museum networks and threatens upcoming exhibitions, including a Grandma Moses survey at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and a portraiture competition at the National Portrait Gallery, which has already been postponed. The closure also highlights the vulnerability of federally funded cultural institutions to political gridlock, especially after the Trump administration's targeted criticism of the Smithsonian. The resignation of National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet and the cancellation of artist Amy Sherald's traveling survey due to censorship allegations further underscore the institution's precarious position amid broader political battles over art and identity.