A historian and museum professional has accused the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History of abandoning its educational mission in favor of activism. Dr. Jody Edward Ginn, visiting the museum for the first time in over a decade, stated that the institution has transformed into a place for activism, using historical content to promote specific agendas.
"It's a completely different place than when I was there in 2012," Ginn told Fox News Digital. "Its mission is clearly exactly what they changed it to be. It is a museum for activism. They use history, but that's kind of the problem. You know, scholars of history, and I don't consider these folks scholars anymore. They're activists."
Ginn's visit was prompted in part by a report from the Trump administration's Domestic Policy Council, which criticized the Smithsonian and the NMAH for not presenting history in a manner that was "inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic."
Upon entering the museum, Ginn observed a shift in experience, noting that the institution aims to "specifically direct" visitors "to action" rather than providing information for independent decision-making. He described this as a move to turn museums from institutions of public education into those that encourage activism, a process he also referred to as indoctrination.
Beyond the emphasis on activism, Ginn pointed to issues with the exhibits themselves. He stated he found "factually incorrect information" in some displays and argued that omissions were equally misleading. He also criticized the inclusion of "graphic" and sexually explicit content, which he believes is inappropriate for a museum frequented by children and families, stating it is "out of sync with what museums were just a few years ago."
Concerns about the museum's direction were echoed in a recent House hearing. Lawmakers questioned Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, about exhibits such as "Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall," which reportedly included a bondage harness. Representatives also raised questions about the 2017 MASS Action Toolkit, a resource for museum professionals that characterized "objectivity" as a trait of "white supremacy culture."
Ginn expressed disappointment with Hartig's testimony, deeming it unscholarly and noting that the museum's revised mission statement altered its fundamental purpose. Hartig had previously explained that the phrase "American history" was removed from the mission statement to move away from an "America First" mentality.
For Ginn, the visit confirmed his view of a significant shift within the museum profession, with the Smithsonian serving as a prominent example. He maintained that the primary mission of public historians and institutions like the NMAH should be to educate the public and provide scholarly information.
Ginn is not optimistic about the institution's ability to change without a substantial staff overhaul. He believes new personnel committed to scholarly standards and non-politicized programming are necessary, stating that current staff have become too deeply invested in the current direction. The Smithsonian was contacted for comment.