American Alliance of Museums Slams Trump Report on the Smithsonian
The White House has continued to escalate its assault on the Smithsonian Institution this week, ordering signage outside the National Museum of American History to flag what an executive order calls “inaccurate information” presented in its exhibits. A prominent industry group, the American Alliance of Museums, is finally hitting back. Earlier this month, the AAM released a statement condemning the Trump administration‘s attacks on the Smithsonian. In a scathing rebuke, the group asserted that the Smithsonian “reflects the highest standards of scholarship, stewardship, and public service.” Related Articles The AAM’s statement continues, “Efforts to politicize how museums present history, art, science, culture, and the natural world—and personal attacks on the museum professionals who carry out that work—threaten the integrity and independence of museums across the country. If scholarship at our nation’s leading museum system can become subject to political influence, no museum is beyond reach. The precedent would jeopardize the independence of 22,000 museums of every size and discipline across the country.” On Tuesday, the equivalent group in the UK, the Museums Association, republished the …
