National museums exist to preserve a nation’s heritage and transmit it to future generations, shaping how citizens understand their history, culture, and founding principles. As the largest museum complex in the world, the Smithsonian Institution reaches tens of millions of Americans each year through its museums, educational programs, research centers, and public exhibits. 

Yet the institution has increasingly departed from its traditional mission, replacing a focus on America’s founding ideals and shared heritage with exhibits and programs centered on concepts such as systemic racism, settler colonialism, and social activism, while giving comparatively little attention to some of the most influential figures and principles that shaped the nation.

For years, The Heritage Foundation with the help of scholar Mike Gonzalez has documented the Smithsonian’s transformation from a steward of American heritage into an institution increasingly driven by ideological activism. This investigation builds on that work, examining the Smithsonian’s leadership, educational materials, partnerships, and curatorial decisions, as well as its embrace of movements and projects that seek to reinterpret America’s past.

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