The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the closure of a multimillion-dollar museum dedicated to “environmental justice” and climate change due to low public interest and high operational costs. The museum, located at the EPA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., cost taxpayers $315 per attendee, with fewer than 2,000 visitors recorded in total. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin disclosed that the museum, which opened in May 2024, cost $4 million in tax dollars to create and $600,000 annually to operate.
The decision to shut down the museum comes as part of a broader effort to better steward taxpayer money, according to Zeldin. The Biden Administration spent millions on a museum that selectively told the history of the EPA, conveniently omitting significant periods like President Trump’s first administration,” Zeldin commented. This shrine to environmental justice and climate change will now be shut down for good.
When it was inaugurated, former EPA administrator Michael Regan described the museum as a celebration of the nation’s efforts to protect public health and the environment, involving collaborative work with state, local, and Tribal partners.
Epa museum closure due to costs
The museum aimed to highlight the EPA’s role in ensuring clean air, safe drinking water, and a healthy environment for future generations. Despite its prime location near the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and American History Museum on the National Mall, the exhibit struggled to attract visitors.
The museum’s annual expenses included $123,000 for landscaping, $123,000 for utilities, and $54,000 for artifact storage. Zeldin emphasized the EPA’s commitment to educating the American public about its work in a cost-effective manner. We are ending the practice of burning tax dollars on pet projects that do nothing to help this agency achieve our mission of protecting human health and the environment,” he declared.
The museum’s closure is set for the upcoming months as the agency begins to redirect resources to more impactful projects.
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