A veteran historian visited the National Museum of American History and walked away convinced the institution has shifted from teaching to campaigning. He bluntly called out what he saw as a new mission focused on activism over scholarship and pointed to exhibits and internal guides he says prove the point. Lawmakers have echoed those concerns in hearings, and the debate now centers on whether a national museum should shape civic action or present facts impartially.
Dr. Jody Edward Ginn made the trip after reading the administration’s critique and expecting to find changes, and his reaction was swift and pointed. “It’s a completely different place than when I was there in 2012.” He said the museum no longer feels like a forum for study, but like a platform for political persuasion.
Ginn argued the institution now openly pursues a different goal. “Its mission is clearly exactly what they changed it to be. It is a museum for activism. They use history, but that’s kind of the problem. You know, scholars of history, and I don’t consider these folks scholars anymore. They’re activists.” That kind of assessment from a career historian is hard to dismiss for anyone who cares about museums as custodians of truth.
Walking the floor, Ginn said the experience felt curated toward outcomes rather than questions. “From the moment I walked in, it’s a very different experience,” Ginn said. He complained the exhibits push visitors toward action instead of laying out evidence for independent judgment.
“It became this goal, their own stated goal, to turn museums from institutions of education, of public education, into institutions to encourage activism, which could also be said to indoctrinate.” He also found factual mistakes and troubling omissions, but told observers that what is left out can be as misleading as what is displayed.
Ginn drew particular ire at material he deemed inappropriate for family audiences. “The biggest problem is in what they leave out,” he said. He called several displays “graphic” and questioned why sexually explicit items would be shown in a place frequented by children.
That critique was echoed on Capitol Hill, where representatives pressed museum leadership about specific exhibits. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., asked about the exhibit titled “Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall,” saying “You have pictures of bondage, you have some overtly sexual things up there, you have transgender folks.” Those questions reflect a larger Republican concern about public institutions pushing adult themes into general audiences.
Lawmakers also flagged internal training materials that critics say push advocacy into museum practice. The 2017 MASS Action Toolkit was cited for referencing the Ferguson protests and for characterizing “objectivity” as a characteristic of “white supremacy culture,” an assertion Ginn points to as evidence the museum’s broader tilt toward social action.
When museum leadership defended their choices, Ginn called the testimony “very disappointing” and objected to the insistence on neutrality. “If that’s the kind of museum you’ve been approved to run, then just own it,” he said. “Don’t say you’re being unbiased when it’s really evident.”
Ginn was particularly troubled by changes to the museum’s mission language and the reasoning offered for them. During a presentation, museum leadership explained removing “American history” from the mission because it was “hard to get out of the ‘America First’ mentality.” For many conservatives, that phrasing suggested a deliberate distancing from a traditional patriotic frame.
Ultimately, Ginn sees the Smithsonian as the most visible example of a profession-wide shift away from scholarship and toward social engineering. “It is my opinion as a public historian that the mission we’ve always had is to educate the public and provide scholarly information,” he said. “To me, that’s what the National Museum of American History should be.”
He warned that reversing the trend will require serious staffing changes and a recommitment to nonpolitical education. “You’re going to have to put in new people who are committed to scholarly standards and non-politicized educational programming,” he said. “These people have bought into it, hook, line and sinker.” The debate now is whether policymakers and the public will insist on a course correction.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.