The Smithsonian Institution reportedly told staff members today, January 28, that it is closing its office for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to comply with an executive order (EO) issued by President Donald Trump last week. The controversial order requires all federally funded agencies to end their DEI programs and initiatives.
In a staffwide email, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said that the closure of the institution’s office is a “first step” to respond to the new federal mandate, as reported by the Washington Post.
As of this afternoon, Smithsonian webpages related to DEI were still operational, including a site for the DEI office’s Head Diversity Officer and Director of Access Beth Ziebarth and another for the DEI commitments of the Smithsonian Affiliations program, which gives more than 200 organizations that collaborate with the institution the ability to loan works and access educational resources.
In addition, the staffwide email informed employees that the Smithsonian is freezing hiring for all federal positions and requiring staff to return to in-person work.
The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to Hyperallergic‘s request for comment.
Established by Congress in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and educational complex, comprising 21 institutions, the National Zoo, and nine research facilities. It is a hybrid institution that hires both federal and private employees and receives a majority of its budget from the federal government.
It is unclear whether Trump’s mandated will have any impact on Smithsonian institutions currently in development, including the National Museum of the American Latino, which is not yet built, and the existing Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, which may be incorporated into the Smithsonian network.
The Smithsonian’s reported closure of its diversity office quickly follows that of the National Gallery of Art, which issued a similar announcement at the end of last week. A spokesperson told Hyperallergic that employees at the NGA’s DEI office had been “reassigned to already vacant positions elsewhere in the museum.” In addition, the museum removed any language replaced language referring to DEAI with the words “welcoming and accessible.”
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