> The Smithsonian Institution endowment is a roughly
$2.6 billion investment portfolio (as of 2024) that provides permanent, private financial support for its museums, research, and educational programs. It acts as a crucial supplement to federal funding, investing in diversified assets like stocks, bonds, and private equity to generate annual payouts, which generally support staff positions
I guess $2.6B isn’t enough in the late stage capitalism era to stave off tacky.
Interesting topic, but so sad to see the Smithsonian blanketed in tacky popups and scrolling ad banners, yikes
> The Smithsonian Institution endowment is a roughly $2.6 billion investment portfolio (as of 2024) that provides permanent, private financial support for its museums, research, and educational programs. It acts as a crucial supplement to federal funding, investing in diversified assets like stocks, bonds, and private equity to generate annual payouts, which generally support staff positions
I guess $2.6B isn’t enough in the late stage capitalism era to stave off tacky.