If you had plans to spend the day wandering between museums on the Mall, you might want to rethink them. Seven Smithsonians, including the National Museum of the American Indian and the Hirshhorn, have been closed for the day due to a “mechanical issue affecting building operations,” according to a media advisory sent out this morning.
The Smithsonian responded to City Paper’s questions later Thursday afternoon, writing via email, “The buildings were closed after an outage at [General Services Administration]’s Heating Operations and Transmission Division plant disrupted the chilled water supply needed to support the Smithsonian’s cooling systems and humidity controls in South Mall museums. Once GSA resolves this issue, the Smithsonian will return to normal operations.”
No further information was provided and the Smithsonian spokesperson hasn’t responded to City Paper’s questions, but such unexpected summer closures aren’t abnormal. In September 2024, the National Museum of African American History and Culture closed for a day, due to “mechanical issues.” And last summer, four Smithsonians closed for several days because of a HVAC problem. All four museums—NMAI and the Hirshhorn as well as the National Museum of Asian Art and the National Museum of African Art—are among the seven buildings that are closed today.
The others are the S. Dillon Ripley Center, the Arts and Industries Building, the Smithsonian Castle—the last two of which are only open to the public through Sept. 7.
The castle, which has been closed since 2003 for major renovations, reopened this summer for the country’s Semiquincentennial. It’s currently housing American Aspirations, a special exhibit reflecting on America’s 250 years, which was co-curated by Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch. The exhibit, featuring “more than 30 of Smithsonian’s most treasured objects,” according to the museum, is only open for several more days, with an expected end date of Aug. 10.
This summer has also marked the return of the Arts and Industries Building, which has been open to the public daily during regular visiting hours for the first time since 2004. Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America, which examines civic participation and representation, is on view there through Sept. 7. Both openings are part of Our Shared Future: 250, the Smithsonian’s multiyear initiative to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary.
The remaining Smithsonians are open to the public today and those interested in visiting the closed spaces should visit si.edu/visit for the latest information.
Update: This story was updated at 4:30 p.m., Aug. 6, with the Smithsonian’s statement on what caused the closure.
