House Republicans on Tuesday scrutinized the director of a Smithsonian museum, presenting images of exhibits described as "overtly sexual" and questioning content that labeled concepts like "politeness" and "objectivity" as rooted in white supremacy.
During a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) displayed photographs from exhibits at the National Museum of American History, asking Director Dr. Anthea Hartig if the material was appropriate for children. Burchett cited images depicting bondage and a question from a six-year-old girl about male genitalia.
Hartig responded that some of the content came from a temporary exhibit, "Entertainment Nation," and was not designed for children, emphasizing the role of parents in vetting such material. She stated that the exhibit included a 13-year-old's diary with the author's permission.
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) focused on a "Museums as a Site for Social Action Toolkit" used in a staff reading group as part of a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. Gill questioned Hartig about the toolkit's assertion that politeness is a characteristic of white supremacy culture and whether Mickey Mouse, depicted in an exhibit as representing "black-faced minstrelsy," was considered racist.
Hartig stated she was not entirely familiar with the specific passage in the toolkit and that it was not developed by the Smithsonian. She denied being a white supremacist when directly asked by Gill.
The hearing, titled “Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Reshape the Past,” was prompted by a White House report critical of the cultural institution. The report alleged that the museum's materials, some situated in youth-facing exhibits, contained sexually explicit or suggestive content deemed inappropriate for children. It also claimed the museum portrays the U.S. as a nation fundamentally defined by systemic injustice and white supremacy.
The Smithsonian receives substantial federal funding, with the National Museum of American History utilizing approximately $28.6 million of its nearly $1 billion annual budget.