Politics Jan 13 Smithsonian pressured to show Trump its plans for exhibits for America's 250th birthday By Meg Kinnard, Gary Fields, Calvin Woodward, Associated Press
Arts Sep 25 Watch 8:34 Citizen historians document Smithsonian exhibits under White House scrutiny The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. It's a public-private trust that has long operated at arm's length from the White House, but now finds itself under unprecedented scrutiny from the Trump administration. Jeffrey Brown… By Jeffrey Brown, Maea Lenei Buhre, Mike Fritz, Cali Steffenhagen
Arts Aug 20 Watch 7:10 Scholar says Trump's efforts to reframe U.S. history is 'reminiscent of McCarthyism' President Trump described Smithsonian museums as “out of control” for emphasizing, in his view, “how bad slavery was.” It's part of a pattern by Trump in his second term to reframe historical narratives, in particular about racism and discrimination. Amna… By Amna Nawaz, Simon Epstein, Doug Adams, Ian Couzens, Jenna Bloom
Politics Aug 19 Trump amplifies attacks on 'out of control' Smithsonian museums for including negative parts of American history Trump, who has been at odd with various cultural institutions since returning to office in January, added that he had “instructed” his attorneys to begin the “exact same process” he has used against colleges and universities.”… By Associated Press
Arts Aug 14 Watch 3:35 Smithsonian exhibit collects visitors' hopes for the next 50 years At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, a recent time capsule exhibit asked visitors to reflect on their hopes for the next 50 years. Alia Soliman, Diarra Gangazha and Jayden Hall from our journalism training program, PBS News Student… By Alia Solimon, Diarra Gangazha
Jun 10 Watch 6:45 Smithsonian board rejects Trump's attempt to fire top leader By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport, Simon Epstein The Smithsonian’s board of regents issued a statement on Monday declaring that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the secretary, with oversight by the board.” It comes amid President Trump's efforts to fire one… Continue watching
Feb 21 Watch 6:11 Green Book exhibit showcases history, struggles and triumphs of Black travel in the U.S. By Gabrielle Hays, Sarah Clune Hartman, Leila Jackson The “Negro Motorist Green Book,” a guide for African Americans first published in 1936, was a valued resource at a time when travel held the promise of adventure but was also perilous. It is now the subject of an exhibit… Continue watching
Nov 12 In St. Louis, a chance to preserve Black history By Gabrielle Hays The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is helping families preserve film and photos many of them haven't seen for decades. Continue reading
Nov 20 Watch 8:26 Acclaimed artist Kadir Nelson on what influences his paintings By Geoff Bennett, Kaisha Young, Juliet Fuisz Award-winning artist Kadir Nelson is known for his oil paintings that evoke both modern urban realism and the masterly works of turn-of-the century American painters. For our Weekend Spotlight, Geoff Bennett spoke to Nelson while he was in Washington, D.C.,… Continue watching
Feb 11 Smithsonian to show 120 orange statues of female scientists By Ashraf Khalil, Associated Press The Smithsonian will commemorate Women's History Month in March by displaying 120 life-size neon orange statues depicting women who have excelled in the fields of science and technology. Continue reading