In an opinion article published by Fox News on Oct. 12, 2026, a longtime leader of historic institutions in Virginia argues that the Smithsonian should present both the country’s shortcomings and its accomplishments in a balanced historical account.
The author writes that accurate history requires not only factual care but also context and proportion. Museums make choices about which objects and stories to feature, the article says, and a collection of individually accurate details can still leave visitors with a distorted overall impression.
The commentary appears amid a dispute over how the Smithsonian presents American history. It refers to a White House review critical of the National Museum of American History and to Smithsonian officials’ defense of the institution’s scholarly independence. The author rejects both an account organized primarily around national failings and the idea that political leaders should dictate museum interpretation.
The article makes a case for treating the nation’s founding principles as important context for examining later history. It points to events and achievements including the constitutional republic, expanded political participation, immigration, scientific and industrial development, and the Apollo 11 mission. It also says museums should address times when the country failed to meet its stated ideals.
The author frames the approaching 250th anniversary as an opportunity for reflection, not a reason to focus chiefly on national shortcomings. The Smithsonian, the commentary argues, should provide artifacts, scholarship and context that allow visitors to form their own understanding of the country’s history.
The piece is opinion, not a reported account of new Smithsonian policy or a formal institutional finding.
