Smithsonian Explains Closure of Seven National Mall Museums

The Smithsonian revealed why seven of its locations along Washington, D.C.’s National Mall were shut down Thursday.

The institution, which previously only stated the closures were due to a “mechanical issue,” told The Independent in a statement Thursday afternoon: “The buildings were closed after an outage at GSA's Heating Operations and Transmission Division plant disrupted the chilled water supply needed to support the Smithsonian's cooling systems and humidity controls in South Mall museums.”

“Once GSA resolves this issue, the Smithsonian will return to normal operations,” the statement read.

The closures include the National Museum of the American Indian, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Museum of Asian Art, National Museum of African Art, the Smithsonian Castle, Arts and Industries Building, and the S. Dillon Ripley Center. All of the museums impacted are along the south side of the Mall, along Jefferson Drive Southwest.

All other museums across the institution remain open and are operating on their regular schedules, the Smithsonian said. Visitors are encouraged to check the Smithsonian’s website for updates as crews work to resolve the issue.

Thursday’s closures come amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing clash with the Smithsonian over how American history is presented in its museums. The White House accused the institution of promoting a “woke” and politically biased view of the nation’s past, while Trump pushed for exhibits to focus more on America’s achievements ahead of its 250th anniversary in July 2026.

The administration first targeted the Smithsonian in March 2025, when Trump signed an executive order calling for the removal of what it described as “divisive” or “anti-American” messaging from federally supported museums. The White House argued some exhibits focused too much on issues such as slavery, racism and social justice, while historians said those topics are necessary to fully understand U.S. history.

The dispute intensified after a White House review of Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History, led to accusations that the institution had moved away from education and toward political activism. The administration released its 162-page report, titled “Saving America’s Story,” on July 4, 2026, outlining its criticisms of the Smithsonian’s approach to presenting American history.

On July 25, Trump signed an executive order ordering that the "warning" signs be placed in front of the museum informing visitors that they are about to be subjected to "inaccurate information presented in the Museum."

The Smithsonian has defended its exhibits, saying they are based on research and scholarship and that exploring difficult parts of the nation’s past is essential to telling a complete and accurate story of America.

“As we continue to fact-check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,” Anthea M. Hartig, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History director, told a House Oversight subcommittee on July 21.

“There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming,” Hartig added.