Why several Smithsonian museums suddenly closed today
- Seven Smithsonian museums on the south side of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., were closed on Thursday due to a mechanical issue.
- The closures resulted from an outage at the GSA’s Heating Operations and Transmission Division plant, which disrupted the chilled water supply essential for the museums’ cooling and humidity control systems.
- Affected institutions include the National Museum of the American Indian, Hirshhorn Museum, National Museum of Asian Art, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Castle, Arts and Industries Building and the S. Dillon Ripley Center.
- The closures occurred amid an ongoing clash between President Donald Trump’s administration and the Smithsonian over how American history is presented, with the White House accusing the institution of promoting a “woke” and politically biased view.
- The administration previously issued executive orders and a report criticizing the Smithsonian’s approach, while the institution defends its exhibits as based on research and essential for a complete understanding of U.S. history.
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