Smithsonian Institution

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.

Planning is underway to establish the National Museum of the American Latino in Washington D.C.