Washington, DC — The Smithsonian Institution shuttered all 19 of its museums, along with the National Zoo and research centers, on Sunday as the federal government shutdown stretched into a third week.
The Smithsonian had remained open since the Oct. 1 funding lapse by drawing on prior-year funds, but said those reserves were exhausted. “Due to the government shutdown, Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with our research centers and the National Zoo,” the Institution posted on X. The National Zoo noted that animals “will continue to be fed and cared for,” but its popular live animal cameras are offline during the closure.
The closures will persist until Congress passes a funding agreement. Lawmakers show little sign of a breakthrough, with both parties still trading blame over a stopgap measure. Roughly 1.4 million federal employees are furloughed or working without pay under agencies’ contingency plans; more than 4,000 received layoff notices on Friday, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center’s review. During the 2018–2019 shutdown, the Smithsonian remained open for 11 days before closing amid a five-week stalemate.
Visitors arriving on the National Mall Sunday found locked doors and printed notices. Jeff Walsh, visiting from Canada on a work trip, said he had planned to tour several museums. “I didn’t realize the museums would be shut down today,” he said on the steps of the National Museum of Natural History. “It’s disappointing the government can shut down like this. It doesn’t happen like this in Canada.”
For others, the timing stung. Deborah Silva flew from Alabama with her fourth-grader, Luke Skopek, to see “the history he was learning in school up close.” With schools out this week, she said, “To say that he’s highly disappointed is an understatement.”
Tourists trying to salvage their itineraries echoed the frustration. “Touring the museums was my only planned activity for the day,” said Emily Macpherson, in town from Australia for work. “That’s sort of my plans for the afternoon gone, I guess. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”
The Smithsonian closures are among the most visible signs of the broader disruption as the shutdown drags on, with ripple effects for federal services, travel, and tourism. Until Congress approves funding to reopen the government, the world’s largest museum and research complex will remain dark—its collections secure behind closed doors, and its visitors left to look elsewhere for Washington’s signature cultural experiences.
