Indoor Activities for a Family Day in DC

Recently, on a particularly warm day, I found myself looking for indoor activities for my six kids. Living near the capital, we’ve got the Smithsonian Museum within reach, which makes it a good option. So we made our way to DC, hoping for a bit of air conditioning along with some cultural experiences.

As we entered, we were greeted by remnants from the pandemic. In 2021, the museum rolled out “recommended” health measures such as masking and social distancing after prolonged closures due to Covid-19.

Our youngest, only four, picked our first stop: the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, mainly to check out the dinosaur bones and the display scenes. But what we found was a bit unexpected. Instead of just dinosaurs, many exhibits were focused on climate change.

This wasn’t a huge shocker. It’s become almost standard to encounter ideological presentations at the Smithsonian. Sometimes, it feels like the National Zoo is similarly warning visitors that animal habitats are disappearing due to climate change.

Exhibits took an unsettling turn. One message for kids went something like, “Hey, enjoy that zebra while you can—your parents’ SUV is probably making it harder for him to survive.”

The themes at the Museum of Natural History were just as dire. One exhibit made a straightforward declaration: “The Earth’s climate has warmed since the last ice age, but the current warming is happening at an alarming pace.”

You could almost hear the underlying tone, “Dinosaur bones are interesting, but we could be next on the endangered list.”

Yet, climate change wasn’t the only topic on display. At the National Museum of American History, there was a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Oddly enough, amid the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary, there were no exhibits that appeared to directly honor this milestone. Instead, the museum’s focus was on themed features like lunch counter sit-ins and women’s rights, especially in the week leading up to July 4th. The Smithsonian didn’t respond to inquiries about this.

A historian summed it up, mentioning that one of the most engaging exhibitions was essentially a platform for discussing struggles viewed through certain ideological lenses. It seems like every display is framed through a particular narrative.

This isn’t just a Smithsonian issue. A couple of years back at the Hirshhorn Museum, my children stumbled upon a kids’ book filled with oddly ambiguous messages. One page seemed to suggest that truths could be obscured rather than revealed.

Even museums outside of DC, many of which also receive federal funds, echoed similar themes. During our visit to the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, we expected to be wowed by artwork but instead found an exhibit with the eye-catching title, “Jamestown is Sinking.”

The installation, featuring multimedia elements, examined climate change in relation to colonialism, merging buzzwords into a single presentation. It made one wonder about the priorities in taxpayer-funded art and history.

The museum, while not solely funded by taxes, did receive a significant $1.2 million in federal grants over the years. This begs the question—why are our taxes supporting this sort of content?

The director of the Chrysler Museum defended these exhibitions, suggesting they are vital for fostering a broad dialogue about artistic expression. Yet, that seems a bit questionable to me.

There’s a glimmer of hope, with the Kennedy Center beginning to reassess its approach. This change could signify a shift towards balance.

Moreover, the issue hasn’t gone unnoticed at the government level. Reports indicate that the Smithsonian is under review, aiming to cut political bias from its exhibits, a decision spurred by a directive from the previous administration looking to restore supposed “American values” in its display content.

With over 30 million visitors expected next year for the nation’s anniversary, it raises concerns. If the narrative doesn’t change, visitors walking through the American History Museum might leave with a sense of guilt rather than celebration.

Time is ticking.