museums

New coverage from Phys.org and the Natural History Museum warns that shifting climate conditions could change the risks posed by deadly rodent-borne diseases. Warmer temperatures and altered rainfall patterns may expand rodent habitats and increase human contact with pathogens such as hantavirus and Lassa fever, prompting calls for improved disease surveillance as environments change.

A ProPublica report examines how the Smithsonian Institution, including the National Museum of American History, has emerged as the newest target in Donald Trump's push against cultural institutions. The piece details how the administration is pressing the museum complex over exhibits and historical narratives it views as ideologically slanted, placing one of America's most trusted institutions at the centre of a broader political fight over history and national identity.

Seattle University is selling off part of its promised art collection to help finance its new SUMA museum planned for 12th Avenue on Capitol Hill. The move raises questions about whether donors who gave works expecting them to stay in the public collection will see their intentions honored. The report has drawn attention locally in Seattle, where the project is being watched as the university pushes ahead with its Capitol Hill arts development.

The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia has closed, with a dispute underway over efforts to reopen it. The historic natural history museum's shutdown and the battle over its future are drawing public attention, though further details about the closure and reopening fight were not immediately available.

A Chicago museum is drawing attention for its work getting visitors to talk about climate change. The effort was highlighted by Yale Climate Connections, which focuses on how people communicate about climate issues. The museum uses its exhibits to encourage public discussion of the topic among visitors.

The union representing workers at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has announced a strike date timed just ahead of the museum's major Roy Lichtenstein retrospective. The move is intended to increase pressure on museum management during contract negotiations, as the high-profile exhibition is expected to draw large crowds and significant attention. Labor disputes at major US museums have grown increasingly visible in recent years.

The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis will hold its 35th Freedom Award celebration on October 1. The annual award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to civil and human rights. Details about this year's honorees and the event format have not yet been widely reported, but the announcement is drawing attention in Memphis and among civil rights observers.