Smithsonian Director Defends 2021 Franklin Exhibit as Congress Probes 'Activist Ideology'
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 23
Smithsonian Director Defends 2021 Franklin Exhibit as Congress Probes 'Activist Ideology'
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 23
Summary
Anthea Hartig told House lawmakers she has "no regrets" about exhibits shown during her 2019-26 tenure, even after Republicans pressed her over a Benjamin Franklin display and broader bias allegations.
Mike Gonzalez of the Heritage Foundation testified that the museum's 2021-25 "The Electric Dr. Franklin" exhibit unfairly suggested Franklin may have used indentured servants or enslaved people in electrical experiments without evidence.
Hartig acknowledged the museum is "imperfect" and cited factual mistakes such as a misidentified coin label, but said a White House report does not fairly characterize the museum's overall work.
The hearings followed a 162-page White House Domestic Policy Council report accusing the National Museum of American History of using taxpayer support to advance a "radical activist ideology" and distort the American story.
Should a national museum prioritize inspiring patriotism or presenting a complete and complex account of the nation's past?
Who should decide what story a museum tells: historians who curate it or the officials who fund it?
Independence at Risk: How 2026 Political Attacks Threaten the Smithsonian and Public History
Overview
In July 2026, controversy erupted as the White House released a critical report accusing the National Museum of American History (NMAH) of extreme political activism. This sparked congressional hearings led by House Republicans, who echoed the report’s claims and targeted NMAH leadership, especially director Anthea Hartig. The Trump administration aimed to promote a more sanitized version of American history in federal institutions, while House Democrats defended the Smithsonian, calling the hearings an attack on independent scholarship. The dispute highlighted a deep divide over how American history should be presented and raised concerns about political influence over museum independence.