For more than 175 years, the Smithsonian Institution has been our nation’s museum — a place where truth, scholarship, and cultural heritage are preserved for everyone, free from political agendas. But now, that independence is under threat.

The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of Smithsonian exhibits, wall texts, and even social media posts — with the stated aim of replacing “divisive” narratives with language deemed “aligned with American ideals.” Eight major museums, from the National Museum of American History to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, are being told to turn over all exhibit plans, labels, and even lists of their permanent collections. They will have just 120 days to “adjust” content flagged as problematic.

Let’s be clear: the Smithsonian’s curators, historians, and researchers are among the most respected in the world. Their work is grounded in rigorous scholarship and a commitment to presenting the full scope of American history — the triumphs and the tragedies — so that future generations can learn from both. No administration, Republican or Democrat, should have the power to rewrite history to fit its own narrative.

Political interference in our national museums undermines trust in our shared cultural institutions. It risks turning spaces of learning into tools of propaganda. The Smithsonian belongs to all of us — not to any single president or political party.

We, the undersigned, call on Congress, the Smithsonian Board of Regents, and all Americans to defend the Smithsonian’s autonomy. Federal funding should never be a weapon to force museums to alter facts or erase inconvenient truths. We demand that the Smithsonian remain free to tell America’s story — the whole story — without censorship or political pressure.

History should be shaped by evidence, not ideology. If we allow political control over our museums today, we endanger the truth for generations to come. Let’s protect the Smithsonian’s independence now — before it’s too late.

Sign this petition to say loud and clear: Hands off our history. Keep politics out of the Smithsonian.

 
Photo: Wesley Lapointe for The New York Times