Jody Edward Ginn, a historian and museum professional, has accused the Smithsonian Institution, particularly the National Museum of American History (NMAH), of shifting its focus from education to activism. Ginn, who visited the museum for the first time in over a decade, stated that the institution has become "a museum for activism," where scholars are replaced by activists.

His assessment follows criticism from the Trump administration and conservatives regarding the museum's presentation of American history. Ginn traveled from Texas to see the museum for himself after reading a Domestic Policy Council report that accused the Smithsonian and NMAH of failing to present history in a way that is "inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic."

"From the moment I walked in, it’s a very different experience," Ginn told Fox News Digital. "Now, I wasn’t totally shocked by this because I’ve been watching this evolution in my field for over a decade."

He observed that exhibits appeared designed to "specifically direct" visitors "to action" rather than provide information for them to "make their own decisions." Ginn described this as a deliberate effort to transform museums from educational institutions into platforms that "encourage activism, which could also be said to indoctrinate."

Ginn also raised concerns about what he perceives as "factually incorrect information" and significant omissions in the exhibits. He noted that the museum's "graphic" and sexually explicit content 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."

These concerns were echoed in a recent House hearing where lawmakers questioned Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig. Representative Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., specifically asked Hartig about an exhibit titled "Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall," which included a bondage harness.

Lawmakers also scrutinized the 2017 MASS Action Toolkit, a resource for museum professionals that labels "objectivity" as a characteristic of "white supremacy culture." Ginn viewed this as further evidence of the museum's move toward activism.

Hartig's previous remarks, including a statement that the museum removed "American history" from its mission statement because it was "hard to get out of the ‘America First’ mentality," were also cited by Ginn as confirmation of the institution's altered purpose.

Ginn described the current situation at the Smithsonian as the "highest-profile symptom of a process that’s been going on for some time" within the museum profession. He believes the mission should be to "educate the public and provide scholarly information," asserting that this is what the National Museum of American History should represent.

However, Ginn expressed little hope for change without significant staff turnover. He suggested that new personnel committed to "scholarly standards and non-politicized educational programming" would be necessary to steer the institution back toward its original purpose. He indicated that current staff have fully embraced the shift toward activism.

The Smithsonian was contacted for comment. The notes do not provide a direct image to embed that semantically fits the narrative.