Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced Tuesday that he's retiring at the end of the year. Bunch says his timing has nothing to do with attacks on the Smithsonian from the Trump administration.

Few people know the real story of "The Star-Spangled Banner," the flag that inspired the lyrics of the national anthem.

The White House says the Smithsonian Institution must submit materials about current and upcoming exhibitions and events for a review that will determine whether they express "improper ideology."

The Smithsonians, National Gallery of Art and other sites that receive federal funding are announcing their reopening plans now that the government shutdown is over. Past closures have been costly.

The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected.

Historians and citizens who say they are concerned about the Trump administration's pressure on the Smithsonian are working to document exhibits, as they exist today, throughout the museum network.

A page published by the White House entitled "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian" lists exhibits, educational sites and more that the administration seems to take issue with.

The White House said it wants to ensure the museums show the "unity, progress and enduring values that define the American story."

The artist, best known for her portrait of Michelle Obama, said the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery wanted to keep her portrait of a trans woman out of the exhibition American Sublime.

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, about the Trump administration's executive order to overhaul the Smithsonian Institution.