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The government has finally greenlit long standing plans from the Smithsonian for an American Latino Museum and a Women’s History Museum
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 30 Dec 2020
Congress approved the deal as part of its US$2.3tn year-end spending bill Credit: Canva
US Congress has approved a US$900bn (€734bn, £666bn) COVID relief package that will see the development of two new museums in Washington, D.C.
The package, which will offer financial aid to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, will also see the creation of the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
The news comes after two separate bills for the museums were blocked by Senator Mike Lee earlier in December.
“This is a big win for Latinos all across our country. We will finally have a Latino Museum that elevates our stories and history,” Tweeted Senator Bob Menendez, a longtime advocate for a Latino museum.
“This is the culmination of decades of hard work, advocacy, successes and setbacks in the movement to recognise Latino contributions to America’s history, economy and culture.
With this vote, Latinos and Latinas across our nation will finally have their stories, struggles, and impact on our country validated by the United States Congress.”
Representative Carolyn Maloney tweeted that a women’s history museum “has been years in the making” adding that she was thrilled the historic legislation would finally be passed.
“For too long, women’s stories have been left out of the telling of our nation’s history, but with this vote, we begin to rectify that,” she said.
“Americans of all ages deserve to see and be inspired by the remarkable women who helped shape this nation - seeing role models doing the thing to which we aspire, can change the course of someone’s life.”
The museums will be the first Smithsonian institutions since the National Museum of African American History, which was granted congressional approval in 2003 but didn’t open until 2016.
“The Smithsonian has unparalleled experience building national museums, and is already doing significant work to tell the stories of American Women and Latinos,” said a Smithsonian statement.
“We look forward to building two world-class museums to further amplify these stories and help our country learn more about the impact that women and Latinos have had on the fabric of our nation.”
A congressional report from 2011 estimated that a 310,000sq ft (28,800sq m) Latino museum could cost US$600m (€490m, £444m), while in the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in 2019 that it would cost US$375m (€306m, £278m) to build a 350,000sq ft (32,516sq m) women’s museum.
Federal funding will account for half of the museums’ funds, while the other half will come from private donations.
According to the Smithsonian Board of Regents, the museum will have two years to designate their locations, with two vacancies on the National Mall being considered as potential sites.
Museums and galleries
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