“It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian. I have spent nearly half of my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family, and what a privilege it has been. There is no place like the Smithsonian — it has been one of the great loves of my life, and I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished together. I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward.
Back to directory
LB
Lonnie Bunch
Other
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Fourteenth Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, serving since 2019; the first African American and first historian to lead the institution. Founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Announced on September 8, 2026 that he will retire by the end of the year.
Statements (2)
“I have to be honest, it has been stressful. And at a certain point, I'd like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone.