Upcoming 'upgrade' to Holocaust Museum exhibit on US response to Nazi Germany sparks some staff concerns: Sources

Source: ABC News

August 29, 2025, 2:22 PM


An exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum that takes a critical look at the United States' response to Nazi Germany is slated to temporarily close after Labor Day for upgrades, sparking concern among some staff over what potential changes could be made amid President Donald Trump's sweeping review of museums and their programming, sources tell ABC News. On Sept. 2, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to temporarily close its "Americans and the Holocaust" exhibit through Feb. 2026 to conduct an "upgrade," according to an internal email sent to staff in June and obtained by ABC News.

The staff-wide email, sent after Trump signed an executive order in March directing federal agencies and the Smithsonian to eliminate what he called divisive and "anti-American" content from museums and national parks, informed staff that exhibit teams at the museum would work to "upgrade the gallery and the exhibition."
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"The current plan is to close the exhibition on September 2, 2025 (the day after Labor Day) and reopen on February 28, 2026 (just before the busy season)," the email read. "Once closed, Technical Services, Operations, Exhibit Experience, and Collections Services will work together to upgrade the gallery and the exhibition. Once the work is completed, 'Americans and the Holocaust' can remain open through 2032 with little to no additional support. Please feel free to reach out with questions and concerns."

The email does not state specifically if or what would be upgraded or list any planned changes to the exhibit's editorial content. It was sent to staff prior to the Trump administration's recent letter to the Smithsonian Institution requesting a "comprehensive internal review" of eight of its museums. While the Holocaust Memorial Museum is not part of the Smithsonian Institution, it receives millions in federal funding as well as private donations.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/upcoming-upgrade-holocaust-museum-exhibit-us-response-nazi/story?id=125101871