Smithsonian Chief Bunch Signals Exit After June 2 Exhibit as Trump Allies Eye Board Majority
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Smithsonian Chief Bunch Signals Exit After June 2 Exhibit as Trump Allies Eye Board Majority
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Lonnie G. Bunch III said the Smithsonian’s “American Aspirations” show opening June 2 could be the last exhibition he curates, signaling his tenure as secretary may be nearing an end.
Trump administration pressure is driving that uncertainty: officials have argued the Smithsonian portrays the United States too negatively and want greater control over the board overseeing the institution.
By the fall, Trump allies could hold a majority of board seats, threatening the position Bunch has held since 2019 and testing the museum network’s independence.
Bunch, founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, said he is focused on protecting the Smithsonian’s scholarship and integrity even though about two-thirds of its funding comes from the federal government.
What is the future for storytelling in America's museums when historical exhibits face government review?
How can national museums protect scholarly independence while relying on federal funds for their existence?
Who decides a nation’s story when government and historians disagree on the history to be displayed?