Closure of Smithsonian Museums and National Zoo Amid Shutdown

As of January 28th, Bao Li the panda relishes bamboo at Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo. However, starting October 12th, the zoo, along with all other Smithsonian sites, will shut down due to an ongoing government shutdown.

Caught in the turmoil of the prolonged government shutdown, the Smithsonian Institution, which manages a network of museums and research facilities, announced its sites, including the National Zoo, will cease operations starting Sunday.

The organization posted on social platforms, informing that service updates would follow once the shutdown concludes. It clarified that updates will solely communicate changes regarding operational status.

A total of 21 museums, research centers, and the zoo under the Smithsonian umbrella will be impacted by this closure.

Assurances were given to the public, particularly concerned social media users, stressing that animal welfare remains paramount and will not be compromised during the zoo's closure.

Workers at the Zoo and Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, will remain active to ensure proper care for all animals, maintaining high standards despite the shutdown's constraints.

However, non-essential operations like the popular Panda Cams will remain offline until the closure ends.

The Smithsonian Institution traditionally derives about 62% of its operating funds from federal sources, which enables free access to its D.C. museums and the National Zoo.

Although it managed to remain open during the first 11 days of the shutdown using reserve funding, those resources have now been exhausted.

The Smithsonian joins numerous other institutions navigating disruptions caused by the continued impasse over federal budget allocations.

Several institutions nationwide have closed, their workforce deemed non-essential, awaiting a resolution from Congress on government funding.

On the preceding Friday, a wave of government employees, spanning various departments like Health and Human Services and Education, started receiving notices of temporary layoffs.