As the government shutdown continues into its third week, previously unaffected museums are also beginning to close. It’s the latest change in plans amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has resulted in many museums and national park services suspending services.
One example is the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), which postponed events for its “Outwin 2025: Portraits of America Today” exhibition, which was scheduled to open on October 18. Portrait Gallery acting director Elliot Gruber announced the decision in an Oct. 7 letter to exhibition attendees.
NPG is part of the Smithsonian Institution, which has been relying on surplus funds from previous years to stay open until Oct. 11. However, if a decision has not been made by then, the entire agency network is expected to shut down.
Another National Gallery of Art (NGA) closed its doors on October 1st. Houston multimedia artist Dario Robleto is exhibiting two major works of art there: a 45-minute film Until We Are Forged: Hymn to the Elementscommissioned by the NGA for the exhibition “Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World,” scheduled for November 2, as well as the 2017 Sculpture Artifacts on the Sea of Sisyphuson display in one of the Dutch galleries in the museum’s west building.
“I’m proud of this institution, and it means a lot to me that I got to contribute to this process because the film will be free and open to the public,” Robleto told Texas Arts Publications glass tire. “In a quietly subversive way, the film is a love letter to the acts of care and compassion displayed by this institution, which run counter to how many people now view government.”
He added, “I’m happy, even if I can’t see it now, to see it and hopefully in a few days” if the gallery reopens before the exhibition’s scheduled end date.
