Across Seattle, something extraordinary happens every single day. People of all ages and backgrounds discover inspiration, connection, truth and joy through art and culture. A classroom of children steps into a museum, their eyes wide with curiosity. A couple strolls through a sculpture park on a first date, forming a lasting memory. A traveler from across the world encounters the vibrant, rich diversity of our city through its creative pulse.
These powerful moments are not just stories — they are the soul of our cultural institutions in the Pacific Northwest. And right now, that soul is under threat.
Museums across the country recently received letters canceling National Endowment for the Humanities and Institute of Museum and Library Services grants already in progress. The explanation cited:
“…IMLS has determined that your grant is unfortunately no longer consistent with the agency’s priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS Program. IMLS is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.”
What’s at stake isn’t just programs or places — it’s the shared experiences that connect us, the histories that define us and the spaces that invite us to dream, reflect and belong.
Recent executive orders targeting federally funded diversity initiatives, international collaborations and educational programming at cultural institutions are more than bureaucratic changes — they are calculated attempts to control which stories are told, whose histories matter and who gets to speak. The elimination of critical federal grants and threats to entire cultural agencies jeopardize more than budgets. They endanger programs that amplify underrepresented voices, foster understanding and bring vital learning to communities in Seattle and across the country.
This isn’t just policy. It’s erasure.
Museums are not luxuries — they are essential to civic life and public well-being. Nationally, they contribute over $50 billion to the economy each year. In our region alone, they generate more than $2 billion in impact and support over 35,000 jobs. But beyond the numbers, museums offer vital spaces for education, healing, and community. Students — especially those with limited enrichment opportunities — benefit from improved academic outcomes through museum programs. Cultural engagement also reduces social isolation and improves mental health.
Just as importantly, museums are among the few places of common ground in a polarized world. People of all backgrounds come together to explore ideas, reckon with history and experience beauty. At their best, museums embody democratic ideals: openness, inclusion, truth, and the belief that progress comes through knowledge and empathy. Museums create space for dialogue, discovery, and a shared vision for a better future.
This work is essential, especially when it challenges us and sparks debate.
The current administration’s actions send a chilling message: that cultural spaces must shrink, certain voices be silenced and that honest storytelling is dangerous. Across the country, museums and staff are feeling uncertain and vulnerable.
We cannot let fear win. We cannot allow political pressure to dictate which artists are seen, which histories are told or which communities feel welcome. This is not a partisan issue. Historically, leaders from all political backgrounds have recognized that a thriving cultural sector strengthens democracy and national identity. From the founding of the Smithsonian to the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts, IMLS and NEH, our government has long supported — not controlled — cultural expression.
As museum professionals, we will not retreat. These are not just attacks on institutions; they’re attacks on our collective memory and democratic ideals.
But we cannot do it alone.
Visit your local museums. Support institutions through donations, memberships or time. Contact your representatives. Speak out.
What’s at stake is more than funding. It’s our shared history, our empathy and our right to tell the full American story.