Opinion: Smithsonian Neglected by Congress

Short on government money, the Smithsonian Institution has made some ethically questionable moves in order to secure support from corporate sponsors, writes Tyler Green in the Los Angeles Times.

Mr. Green, who writes the blog Modern Art Notes, says the museum’s deal with the Showtime cable-television network, which essentially grants the company the first right of refusal for all documentaries dependent on Smithsonian archives, demonstrates the weakened standards of the Washington institution.

But more problematic, says Mr. Green, is that Congress doesn’t seem to be paying attention to the museum’s budget woes, even as Smithsonian buildings stand in disrepair. If Congress doesn’t step up to appropriate more money, he says, the museum’s future could be in jeopardy.