Bunker Fridays: Citizen Historians for the Smithsonian

​When citizens take action to protect history, culture becomes an act of resistance. In this special edition of Bunker Fridays, we welcome Jim Millward, Chandra Manning, Phyllis Hecht, Haylee Adamson, and Gretchen Jennings to discuss Citizen Historians for the Smithsonian—a “Crowd to Cloud” initiative mobilizing volunteers to document every object and label currently on display across the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, the National Zoo, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

​Since its founding in August 2025, the project has grown into a powerful civic movement: more than 1,400 volunteers have contributed over 32,000 photographs and videos, documenting more than 60% of Smithsonian exhibits. What began as a response to government overreach has become a model of participatory stewardship—demonstrating how collective action can defend cultural institutions and ensure that knowledge remains public and preserved.

​This conversation will explore the origins, ethics, and impact of the Citizen Historians project and its role in safeguarding the Smithsonian’s independence for future generations.