House Republicans have initiated a review of the National Museum of American History's exhibits, with House Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chairman Tim Burchett calling for museum director Anthea Hartig to testify. This action follows a July 4 report that Republicans claim outlines a leftward shift in the institution's programming.
According to the report cited by Republicans, the museum's exhibit focus has moved away from traditional American historical eras and figures. Specific omissions noted include major exhibits dedicated to the Founding era, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the Continental Congress, the Pilgrims, the Puritans, or significant moments of the American Revolution. Republicans also pointed to the museum's decision to remove the phrases "infinite richness" and "American history" from its mission statement, which Hartig reportedly stated was to "get out of the ‘America First’ mentality."
The museum's staff are reportedly directed to connect exhibits to seven "core issues of our time": race/identity, gender/sexuality, climate change, immigration/migrations, economic inequality, technological change, and nationalism/globalism. Critics argue this approach prioritizes contemporary social issues over fundamental aspects of U.S. history and national pride.
The National Museum of American History receives 62% of its funding from tax dollars, raising concerns for the lawmakers regarding the use of public funds for exhibits they deem politically charged. Republicans contend that similar trends are present in museums nationwide.
Examples cited include an online exhibit from the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2020 that reportedly described individualism, hard work, and delayed gratification as "aspects of whiteness." Additionally, the National Park Service's 2024 consideration to remove a statue of William Penn from a Philadelphia historical site in favor of an exhibit on Native Americans was mentioned. In New York City, the Natural History Museum's removal of a Theodore Roosevelt statue and warnings to visitors about "objects of power" were also noted.
The report also claims that museums across the country began implementing race-based hiring and acquisition quotas under the guise of "equity" starting in 2020, a trend that has reportedly continued. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is cited for a February exhibition that highlighted artists with what was described as "DEI-approved identities."
Republicans argue that these changes reflect a broader cultural shift driven by what they term the "left’s long march through academia." They advocate for public institutions to educate rather than indoctrinate and for fiscal and professional consequences for museum administrators and staff who do not adhere to this principle. A call for wider audits of how taxpayer dollars are used in museums across the country has also been made. This effort, they suggest, could help address a perceived decline in national pride among some segments of the population.