DC’s Smithsonian Loses Triple-A Rating After US Credit Downgrade

May 19, 2025, 8:33 PM UTC

The Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex boasting 21 museums and the National Zoo, has lost its top-tier credit rank from Moody’s Ratings just days after the firm stripped the US government of its last triple-A rating.

The organization’s downgrade to Aa1 from Aaa reflects the “material funding and government linkages between the Smithsonian and the United States government,” analysts led by Dennis Gephardt said. “The relationship with the federal government leaves the Smithsonian vulnerable to federal government budget shutdowns or delays and links the credit quality to that of the US government.”

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