Smithsonian museums and Nationwide Zoo set to shut : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7977x5321+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2Fa3%2Fb63c6a8b48569c0b0463509f46cc%2Fgettyimages-2196458567.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7977x5321+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2Fa3%2Fb63c6a8b48569c0b0463509f46cc%2Fgettyimages-2196458567.jpg" class="img" alt="Panda Bao Li the panda eats bamboo at the National Zoo on Jan. 28, 2025. The zoo, as well as other Smithsonian facilities, will be closed beginning on Oct. 12 as the government shutdown continues. " fetchpriority="high"/> Panda Bao Li eats bamboo on the Smithsonian Nationwide Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28. The zoo, in addition to different Smithsonian amenities, will likely be closed starting on Oct. 12 as the federal government shutdown continues. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photographs disguise caption

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Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photographs As the federal government shutdown drags on, Smithsonian museums, the Nationwide Zoo and different amenities are the newest to be caught within the fray, with the federal belief saying the closure of all of its websites starting on Sunday.

"We are going to replace our working standing as quickly because the scenario is resolved," the Smithsonian introduced on social media. "We don't plan to replace social media apart from to tell you of modifications to our working standing."

The closure impacts the entire Smithsonian's 21 museums, its analysis facilities and the Nationwide Zoo.

As frightened social media customers expressed concern in regards to the well-being of the animals on the zoo, the Smithsonian assured its supporters that the animals would nonetheless be cared for in the course of the zoo's closure.

"All of the animals on the Zoo and on the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Entrance Royal, Virginia, will proceed to be fed and cared for," the Smithsonian mentioned. "A shutdown is not going to have an effect on our dedication to the protection of our employees and customary of excellence in animal care."

The zoo's beloved animal cams, nonetheless, are thought of nonessential and will likely be turned off for the rest of the shutdown.

The Smithsonian receives about 62% of its funding from the federal authorities, which helps help free admission to all of its D.C. museums and the Nationwide Zoo.

Its amenities had been in a position to hold their doorways open for the primary 11 days of the shutdown by counting on prior-year funds, however these coffers have since run dry.

The Smithsonian is simply the latest entity to search out itself ensnared within the ongoing dispute on authorities funding.

Some nationwide parks across the nation have additionally been pressured to shut as employees have been deemed nonessential and despatched house till Congress can attain an settlement on authorities funding.

On Friday, 1000's of federal workers throughout businesses together with the Division of Well being and Human Providers and the Division of Schooling started receiving discount in power notices, informing them that they'd be laid off.