The Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo will close their doors to the public beginning Sunday if the ongoing federal government shutdown continues, marking one of the most visible impacts yet of the budget stalemate in Congress.
The closures will affect some of Washington, D.C.’s most visited landmarks, including the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, and the National Zoo. The Smithsonian Institution, which relies on federal appropriations for about two-thirds of its funding, has used leftover funds from the previous fiscal year to remain open since the shutdown began on October 1. Those funds are expected to run out by October 11.
While the public exhibits will close, Smithsonian officials emphasized that animal care at the National Zoo and its Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia will continue without disruption. “A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care,” the zoo stated in an update on its website. However, the popular Giant Panda Cam and other live-streamed animal feeds, which require federal staff to operate, will go offline during the shutdown.
The move underscores the widening ripple effects of the government shutdown, now entering its second week with no clear resolution in sight. Since the lapse in federal funding began, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed, visitor centers in national parks have shuttered, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has halted the release of critical economic data—including the September jobs report. Airport staffing shortages have also led to widespread flight delays across the country.
If the impasse continues, more federal programs could soon be affected. Funding for rural air travel is projected to lapse by mid-October, court operations could slow down soon after, and nutrition assistance programs for mothers and children may begin running short by the end of the month. By early November, the shutdown would surpass the record 34-day closure that occurred in 2019.
At the center of the deadlock is a dispute over health care policy. Democrats are pushing to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, while Republicans need Democratic support in the Senate to pass their funding proposal. A small bipartisan group of lawmakers has discussed temporary measures to bridge the gap, but so far, the White House and congressional leaders remain far apart, with no formal negotiations underway.
As the standoff continues, President Donald Trump has warned that furloughed federal workers could face layoffs and lose back pay once the government reopens—moves that would break long-standing precedent and deepen the crisis for hundreds of thousands of families nationwide.