CHAPTER 3-SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES
SUBCHAPTER I-CHARTER PROVISIONS
41.
Incorporation of institution.
42.
Board of Regents; members.
43.
Appointment of regents; terms of office; vacancies.
44.
Organization of board; expenses; gratuitous services.
45.
Special meetings of members.
46a.
Employment of aliens by Secretary.
48.
Salary and removal of Secretary and assistants.
50.
Reception and arrangement of specimens and objects of art.
50a.
Gellatly art collection; estimates of sums needed for preservation and maintenance.
52.
Evidence of title to site and buildings.
53.
Protection of property.
53a.
Authorization of appropriations.
54.
Appropriation of interest.
55.
Acceptance of other sums.
56.
Disposal of unappropriated money.
59.
Collections of National Ocean Survey, United States Geological Survey, and others deposited in National Museum.
60.
Army articles furnished to National Museum.
65a.
Director of the National Museum.
69.
Anthropological researches; cooperation of Institution with States, educational institutions, or scientific organizations.
70.
Authorization of appropriations; cooperative work.
SUBCHAPTER II-NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
71a.
Additions; payment of construction costs from trust funds.
71b.
Status of completed addition.
73.
Acceptance of gift from A. W. Mellon.
74a.
Permanent loan of funds by Board of Trustees to Treasury; semiannual interest payments to Board.
75.
Authority and functions of the board.
SUBCHAPTER III-NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
75b.
Establishment of National Portrait Gallery; functions.
75c.
Creation of National Portrait Gallery Commission; members; functions; powers.
75d.
Acceptance of gifts; title to property.
75f.
Director; appointment and compensation; officers and employees.
75g.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER IV-SMITHSONIAN GALLERY OF ART
76b.
Functions of Regents.
76c.
Policy to foster appreciation of past and contemporary art.
76d.
Donations of works of art from Government agencies.
76e.
Housing or exhibiting objects of art possessed by Smithsonian Institution.
76f.
Appointment, compensation, and duties of Director of Gallery; personnel.
76g.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER V-JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
76i.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
76l.
Official seal, Board vacancies and quorum, trustee powers and obligations, reports, support services, and review and audit.
76m.
Photovoltaic system.
76o.
Borrowing authority to finance parking facilities.
76p.
Acceptance and disposition of gifts to the United States contributed in honor or memory of the late President John F. Kennedy.
76q.
Sole national memorial to the late John F. Kennedy within the city of Washington and environs.
76q–1.
John F. Kennedy Center Plaza.
76r.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER VI-JOSEPH H. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN
76aa.
Site for museum and sculpture garden.
76bb.
Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
76dd.
Director, administrator, curators, and other personnel; appointment, compensation, and duties.
76ee.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER VII-NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
77.
National Air and Space Museum.
77a.
Functions of museum.
77d.
Transfer or loan of aeronautical or space flight equipment to museum.
SUBCHAPTER VIII-PALEONTOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
78.
Cooperation of Smithsonian Institution with State institutions for continuing paleontological investigations.
78a.
Authorization of appropriations; availability of funds; limit on use of funds during fiscal year; supervision; rules and regulations.
SUBCHAPTER IX-CANAL ZONE BIOLOGICAL AREA
79.
Barro Colorado Island in Gatun Lake to be set aside.
79a.
Preservation of natural features for scientific observation and investigation.
79b.
Functions of Smithsonian Institution.
79c.
Resident manager; powers and duties; compensation.
79d.
Deposit of receipts into Treasury; disbursements.
79e.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER X-NATIONAL ARMED FORCES MUSEUM ADVISORY BOARD
80.
National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board.
80a.
Display of contributions of Armed Forces.
80c.
Transfer or loan of objects, equipment and records to Smithsonian Institution.
80d.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER XI-WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS
80e.
Congressional declaration of policy.
80f.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Board of Trustees of the Center.
80g.
Powers and duties of Board.
80g–1.
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship in Social and Political Thought.
80h.
Administration; quorum.
80i.
Authorization of appropriations; limitations.
SUBCHAPTER XII-MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART
80k.
Donation and transfer of lands and improvements, works of art, and other assets and property of Museum of African Art to Smithsonian Institution.
80l.
Establishment of Museum of African Art; functions.
80n.
Commission for the Museum of African Art.
80o.
Director, officers, and employees; appointment, compensation, and duties.
SUBCHAPTER XIII-NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
80q–1.
National Museum of the American Indian.
80q–2.
Authority of Board of Regents to enter into agreement providing for transfer of Heye Foundation assets to Smithsonian Institution.
80q–3.
Board of Trustees of National Museum of the American Indian.
80q–4.
Director and staff of National Museum.
80q–5.
Museum facilities.
80q–6.
Custom House office space and auditorium.
80q–8.
Board of Regents functions with respect to certain agreements and programs.
80q–9.
Inventory, identification, and return of Indian human remains and Indian funerary objects in possession of Smithsonian Institution.
80q–9a.
Summary and repatriation of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and cultural patrimony.
80q–10.
Special committee to review inventory, identification, and return of Indian human remains and Indian funerary objects.
80q–11.
Inventory, identification, and return of Native Hawaiian human remains and Native Hawaiian funerary objects in possession of Smithsonian Institution.
80q–12.
Grants by Secretary of the Interior to assist Indian tribes with respect to agreements for return of Indian human remains and Indian funerary objects.
80q–13.
Grants by Secretary of the Interior to assist Indian organizations with respect to renovation and repair of museum facilities and exhibit facilities.
80q–15.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER XIV-NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
80r–2.
Establishment of Museum.
80r–4.
Director and staff of the Museum.
80r–5.
Educational and liaison programs.
80r–6.
Building for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
80r–7.
Congressional Budget Act compliance.
80r–8.
Consideration of recommendations of Presidential Commission.
80r–9.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER XV-CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY PROJECT
80s–1.
Establishment of joint project at Library of Congress and National Museum of African American History and Culture to collect video and audio recordings of histories of participants in American Civil Rights movement.
80s–2.
Private support for civil rights history project.
80s–3.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER XVI-WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM
80t–1.
Establishment of Museum.
80t–3.
Director and staff of the Museum.
80t–4.
Educational and liaison programs.
80t–7.
Authorization of appropriations.
SUBCHAPTER XVII-NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO
80u.
National Museum of the American Latino.
Executive Documents
Ex. Ord. No. 14253. Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History
Ex. Ord. No. 14253, Mar. 27, 2025, 90 F.R. 14563, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation's history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light. Under this historical revision, our Nation's unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed. Rather than fostering unity and a deeper understanding of our shared past, the widespread effort to rewrite history deepens societal divides and fosters a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe.
The prior administration advanced this corrosive ideology. At Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-where our Nation declared that all men are created equal-the prior administration sponsored training by an organization that advocates dismantling "Western foundations" and "interrogating institutional racism" and pressured National Historical Park rangers that their racial identity should dictate how they convey history to visiting Americans because America is purportedly racist.
Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology. This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive. For example, the Smithsonian American Art Museum today features "The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture," an exhibit representing that "[s]ocieties including the United States have used race to establish and maintain systems of power, privilege, and disenfranchisement." The exhibit further claims that "sculpture has been a powerful tool in promoting scientific racism" and promotes the view that race is not a biological reality but a social construct, stating "Race is a human invention."
The National Museum of African American History and Culture has proclaimed that "hard work," "individualism," and "the nuclear family" are aspects of "White culture." The forthcoming Smithsonian American Women's History Museum plans on celebrating the exploits of male athletes participating in women's sports. These are just a few examples.
It is the policy of my Administration to restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing. Museums in our Nation's capital should be places where individuals go to learn-not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history.
To advance this policy, we will restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness-igniting the imagination of young minds, honoring the richness of American history and innovation, and instilling pride in the hearts of all Americans.
Sec. 2. Saving Our Smithsonian. (a) The Vice President, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Staff Secretary, Lindsey Halligan, Esq., shall work to effectuate the policies of this order through his role on the Smithsonian Board of Regents with respect to the Smithsonian Institution and its museums, education and research centers, and the National Zoo, including by seeking to remove improper ideology from such properties, and shall recommend to the President any additional actions necessary to fully effectuate such policies.
(b) The Vice President and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall work with the Congress to ensure that future appropriations to the Smithsonian Institution:
(i) prohibit expenditure on exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy; and
(ii) celebrate the achievements of women in the American Women's History Museum and do not recognize men as women in any respect in the Museum.
(c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Secretary of the Interior shall take any other measures within their authority to promote the policy of this order.
(d) As appropriate, the Vice President shall, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Staff Secretary, Lindsey Halligan, Esq., work with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Majority Leader, to seek the appointment of citizen members to the Smithsonian Board of Regents committed to advancing the policy of this order.
Sec. 3. Restoring Independence Hall. The Secretary of the Interior shall provide sufficient funding, as available, to improve the infrastructure of Independence National Historical Park, which shall be complete by July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Sec. 4. Restoring Truth in American History.
(a) The Secretary of the Interior shall:
(i) determine whether, since January 1, 2020, public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department of the Interior's jurisdiction have been removed or changed to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history, inappropriately minimize the value of certain historical events or figures, or include any other improper partisan ideology;
(ii) take action to reinstate the pre-existing monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties, as appropriate and consistent with 43 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., 54 U.S.C. 100101 et seq., and other applicable law; and
(iii) take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department of the Interior's jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Donald J. Trump.