The Smithsonian Institution announced on social media the closure of all its museums and the National Zoo, effective Sunday, October 12, 2025. The halt marks an escalation in the impact of the ongoing federal government shutdown that has now entered its third week. This decision came after the institution had exhausted its prior-year funds, which had allowed it to remain operational for the first eleven days of the shutdown.
Due to the government shutdown, Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with our research centers and the National Zoo.
— Smithsonian (@smithsonian) October 10, 2025
We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other… pic.twitter.com/qdWi8gSGmY
The Smithsonian, which manages 21 museums across Washington, D.C., and New York, as well as the National Zoo and 14 research facilities, receives approximately 53% of its $1.09 billion annual budget through congressional appropriations, according to The Art Newspaper. This latest development represents another blow to visitors, employees, and the local economy as the political impasse in Washington continues without a clear resolution in sight.
How Smithsonian Museums And The National Zoo Closures Affect Visitors
The closure of Smithsonian attractions, which include some of the most visited institutions in Washington D.C., such as the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History, is expected to have substantial consequences for tourism in the nation’s capital. Per The Art Newspaper, the Air and Space Museum receives more than eight million visitors annually, while other popular sites like the National Museum of African American History and Culture drew 1.6 million visitors last year.
On Saturday, crowds flocked to the National Zoo for one final visit before the gates closed. Many tourists arrived at the museums on Sunday only to discover they were closed. “I didn’t realize the museums would be shut down today,” Jeff Walsh, a Canadian visitor, told CNN. “It’s disappointing the government can shut down like this. It doesn’t happen like this in Canada.”
Animal Care Continues Despite Closure
Despite the public closure, zoo officials have confirmed that essential animal care will continue throughout the shutdown period. “The animals will continue to be fed and cared for,” according to a statement on the National Zoo’s website, as reported by CNN.
However, the zoo’s popular live cameras, which allow virtual visitors to observe animals remotely, have gone offline as part of the shutdown measures. According to The New York Times, the Smithsonian reassured the public on Instagram that “The shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.”
