All articles tagged with #museum closures
The article highlights various cultural, historical, and entertainment sites around the world that will be closed or under renovation in 2026, including museums, temples, and theme parks, with alternative suggestions for visitors.
The Smithsonian museums and National Zoo in Washington, D.C., are closing due to the ongoing government shutdown, affecting all 21 museums and research centers, though animal care will continue. The shutdown has also led to closures of some national parks and layoffs of federal employees, highlighting the broader impact of the funding dispute.
The American Museum of Natural History in NYC has closed two exhibit halls containing Native American artifacts to comply with new federal regulations under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGRPA), which now requires consultation and consent to display items. Other institutions have also made similar changes. The museum president stated that the exhibits are outdated and closing them reflects a growing urgency among museums to change their relationships to and representation of Indigenous cultures. The closures affect the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains halls, which contained a significant number of cultural objects.
New York's American Museum of Natural History is closing two halls featuring Native American artifacts in compliance with updated federal regulations requiring permission from tribes to display their objects. The move follows the recent revisions to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Nagpra), giving more authority to tribes and mandating museums to obtain consent for showcasing or researching human remains or cultural items. The closures signal a shift towards increased tribal inclusion in repatriation processes and the need for collaboration between tribes and institutions.
The American Museum of Natural History is closing two major halls and covering display cases featuring Native American cultural items in response to new federal regulations requiring museums to obtain consent from tribes before displaying or researching these items. Museums across the country are also scrambling to comply with the new rules, with some covering up displays and others removing funerary belongings from exhibition.