Smithsonian Shutters Its Museums and Zoo Amid Government Shutdown

Smithsonian Shutters Its Museums and Zoo Amid Government Shutdown Amid the government shutdown, the Smithsonian Institution has temporarily shuttered its 21 museums in and around Washington, D.C., including the Air and Space Museum, the National History Museum, and the National Museum of American History. It has also closed its research centers, the National Zoo, and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. […] READ: Smithsonian Shutters Its Museums and Zoo Amid Government Shutdown

Art Oct 15, 2025 0 13 Add to Reading List

Smithsonian Shutters Its Museums and Zoo Amid Government Shutdown

The Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C., also known as “the Castle” (Photo: Nate Lee via Wikimedia Commons, CC 4.0)

Amid the government shutdown, the Smithsonian Institution has temporarily shuttered its 21 museums in and around Washington, D.C., including the Air and Space Museum, the National History Museum, and the National Museum of American History. It has also closed its research centers, the National Zoo, and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. Despite this major setback, the institution has assured the public that its animals will continue to be fed and cared for.

These closures come as a direct result of the shutdown, originally initiated on October 1, 2025, when Democrats and Republicans failed to pass a bill related to government funding. Each year, the Smithsonian receives approximately 62% of its budget from the federal government, which has now ceased to provide funds not only to the Smithsonian, but to other cultural sites including the Library of Congress, the National Archives Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Arboretum. As of this writing, there has been little movement in Congress toward a resolution, and some 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed so far.

In a statement issued via X (formerly Twitter) on September 30, ahead of the shutdown, the Smithsonian said it would rely upon existing funds to remain open.

“In the event of a government shutdown, our museums, research centers, and the National Zoo will remain open through at least Monday, Oct. 6. The Smithsonian will use prior-year funds still available to us to remain open,” the institution shared.

The Smithsonian and its host of museums are some of the U.S.’s most popular tourist attractions, admitting nearly 17 million visitors in 2024 alone. Such numbers are critical to the institution’s financial stability and longevity, both of which were significantly impacted by the government’s most recent shutdown in 2019. From January 2 until January 29, 2019, the Smithsonian lost an estimated 1 million visitors and $3.4 million in gross revenue, per the American Alliance of Museums.

The current shutdown isn’t the only threat that the Smithsonian is facing from the federal government. Since assuming office in January, President Trump has levied fierce criticisms against the institution, describing it as “out of control” and as the “last remaining segment of ‘woke.’” The accusations fit neatly into Trump’s ongoing campaign against “leftist” ideology throughout American art, cultural, resource, and academic institutions, including Harvard University, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Park Service.

“President Trump will explore all options and avenues to get the Woke out of the Smithsonian and hold them accountable,” the White House said in a statement to NPR. “He will start with the Smithsonian and go from there.”

The Smithsonian will not post on its social media pages other than to inform the public about its operating status. The institution’s digital resources, however, will remain available via its website.