Overview

• On August 12, the White House formally opened an internal review of eight Smithsonian museums to assess exhibits for alleged historical inaccuracies.
• The review will examine online and physical exhibit content, curation processes, planned displays and the use of collections and demands any corrections within 120 days.
• The administration says the effort implements President Trump’s directive to restore the “truth and health of American history” and celebrate national exceptionalism.
• The review specifically encompasses institutions documenting Native American and African American histories, including the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• Critics warn the intervention risks politicizing a largely independent museum complex that depends on roughly 60 percent federal funding.