Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll

As the government shutdown drags on, Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and other facilities are the latest to be caught in the fray, with the federal trust announcing the closure of all of its sites beginning on Sunday.

“We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved,” the Smithsonian announced on social media. “We do not plan to update social media other than to inform you of changes to our operating status.”

The closure affects all of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, its research centers and the National Zoo.

As worried social media users expressed concern about the well-being of the animals at the zoo, the Smithsonian assured its supporters that the animals would still be cared for during the zoo’s closure.

“All the animals at the Zoo and at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, will continue to be fed and cared for,” the Smithsonian said. “A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.”

The zoo’s beloved animal cams, however, are considered nonessential and will be turned off for the remainder of the shutdown.

The Smithsonian receives about 62% of its funding from the federal government, which helps support free admission to all of its D.C. museums and the National Zoo.

Its facilities had been able to keep their doors open for the first 11 days of the shutdown by relying on prior-year funds, but those coffers have since run dry.

The Smithsonian is just the most recent entity to find itself ensnared in the ongoing dispute on government funding.

Some national parks around the country have also been forced to close as staff have been deemed nonessential and sent home until Congress can reach an agreement on government funding.

On Friday, thousands of federal employees across agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education began receiving reduction in force notices, informing them that they would be laid off.