[CPProt.net] Salvaging the Smithsonian

[Ellie Bruggeman]

Salvaging the Smithsonian


TIME has a way of catching up with everything. With aging public 
buildings, attention to maintenance and repair must be an on-going 
affair to effectively preserve what cannot be replaced. So it is 
particularly troubling to learn that crucial work on the world's largest 
museum complex and uniquely American treasure has been allowed to lag 
for so long.

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington is in a bad way after years of 
apparent physical and structural neglect. Pipes are leaking, expansion 
joints are showing visible signs of strain, plaster is crumbling, 
plumbing is outdated, roofs need repairs, and the list goes on.

Congress only slightly increased the amount of funds earmarked for the 
Smithsonian, spending $621.3 million in fiscal 2006 up from $615.2 
million this year. But museum officials figure it will take $2.3 billion 
over the next nine years to fix the most pressing problems identified.

And some of those problems can't wait for political foot-dragging to run 
its course. The Government Accountability Office conducted an audit that 
concluded there was a "broad decline in the Smithsonian's aging 
facilities and systems that pose a serious long-term threat" to its 
countless artifacts.

Some of those treasured pieces have already been lost forever because 
the buildings are falling apart. It happened in the Museum of American 
History when a rusty pipe ruptured while curators were waiting for 
financing and management restructuring after a 2001 government review.

Museum officials accept partial blame for the delay on pressing repair 
projects. Shortly after he was installed as the institution's secretary 
in 2000, Lawrence Small told a government hearing his staff had been 
reluctant to tell Congress the full extent of needs at the Smithsonian 
because of the likelihood they would exceed budget caps. Subsequent 
reviews of the Smithsonian buildings' management showed that was indeed 
the case.

Some of the maintenance problems scattered throughout the Smithsonian's 
18 museums and galleries, 10 science centers, and zoological park are 
clearly apparent, with overhead scaffolding covers to protect people 
from falling bits of plaster or metal. Areas that are deemed too 
dangerous for the tourists have been closed pending repairs.

Other structural concerns remain less visible but extensive nonetheless. 
The institution's governing body, the Board of Regents, has debated 
initiating entrance fees to the Smithsonian but, fortunately, hasn't 
embraced the notion.

Admission has not been charged in modern times at the Smithsonian, and 
the opportunity to view the more than 136 million historical objects 
contained in the vast complex should remain free to the public.

It is up to Congress. Private donations to the Smithsonian are important 
but generally not designated for plaster or plumbing repairs. Once the 
scope of dilapidation can be determined and the depth of budget problems 
evaluated, steps must be taken to restore and reinforce the remarkable 
national landmark for many future generations of visitors to enjoy.

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