Historian blasts Smithsonian's activism shift after first visit in over a decade: 'Completely different place'

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Dr. Jody Edward Ginn, historian and museum professional, told Fox News Digital the Smithsonian has shifted from education to activism after his recent visit. A historian and museum professional accused the Smithsonian of abandoning its educational mission in favor of activism following his visit to the National Museum of American History (NMAH) for the first time in more than a decade amid mounting criticism from the Trump administration and conservatives over how the museum presents American history. "It's a completely different place than when I was there in 2012," Dr. Jody Edward Ginn told Fox News Digital. "Its mission is clearly exactly what they changed it to be. It is a museum for activism. They use history, but that's kind of the problem. You know, scholars of history, and I don't consider these folks scholars anymore. They're activists." Aft