Letter to the Smithsonian: Internal Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions and Materials

Summary:
The White House notifies the Smithsonian Institution of a comprehensive internal review of selected museums and exhibitions to align public-facing content with Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History. The letter emphasizes collaboration, historical accuracy, and a unifying portrayal of the American story, with clear requests for materials, designated points of contact, and a phased timeline.

What’s being reviewed:

• Public-facing content such as wall text, labels, didactics, websites, educational materials, and social media for tone and alignment with American ideals.
• Curatorial processes, approval workflows, and guiding frameworks.
• Current and planned exhibitions, especially for America 250.
• Use of collections, including digitization and potential conveyance to other institutions.
• Development of narrative standards consistent with the Smithsonian’s original mission.

Initial museums in scope:

• 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. (Phase II to add more.)

Materials requested:

• America 250 plans, concepts, catalogs, placards, artwork proposals, event themes, and speaker lists.
• Current exhibition catalogs, programs, budgets, and all wall text/labels.
• Traveling and upcoming exhibition indexes, proposals, schedules, and preliminary budgets (2026–2029 and next 3 years).
• Internal manuals, org charts, job descriptions, approval chains, and memos on selection and approvals.
• Inventory access to permanent holdings.
• Educational resources (teacher guides, student materials).
• URLs/descriptions of official sites and microsites.
• Lists of external partners (artists, historians, nonprofits, advocacy groups).
• Grant applications/agreements tied to exhibitions and list of currently featured artists who received Smithsonian grants.
• Visitor surveys and evaluations (in-person and digital).

Timeline:

• Within 30 days: Submit items under the first four areas; designate a staff liaison; commence on-site observational visits and planning reviews.
• Within 75 days: Submit remaining documentation (items 5–10); begin voluntary interviews with curators and senior staff; finalize and submit updated America 250 plans aligned with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force.
• Within 120 days: Begin implementing content corrections, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate descriptions across all public materials.

Outcome:

• Aim to complete the review and deliver a final report in early 2026, including museum-specific assessments, institutional trends, and recommendations for exhibition strategy.

Signatories:

• 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

Context:

• Anchored in EO 14253; frames the effort as collaborative, standards-driven, and focused on “Americanism” ahead of the Nation’s 250th anniversary.