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Smithsonian Secretary on his retirement and the future of the organization

NPR | By Matt Ozug,
Jeffrey Pierre, Scott Detrow
Published September 8, 2026 at 4:45 PM CDT

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Lonnie G. Bunch, III, the Smithsonian Secretary, who announced he is retiring after 38 years of service with the institution. He will step down at the end of the year.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Matt Ozug
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Jeffrey Pierre
Jeffrey Pierre is an editor and producer on the Education Desk.
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Scott Detrow
Scott Detrow is a host of All Things Considered, as well as NPR’s daily news podcast Consider This.
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