Oct 21, 2026 · 28 min · 9 segments
Lonnie Bunch, the outgoing secretary of the Smithsonian, has been at the red-hot center of national political fights over culture. But in DC, he’s also the head of an institution that shapes the…
Michael SchafferHost
So we're talking it's been about six weeks since you announced that this is going to be your last year at the Smithsonian, one of the great loves of your life, as you put it.
How are you feeling as the end of the year approaches? I'm looking behind you at your office.
But, you know, I think that it's both bittersweet because of my love for the Smithsonian and the years I've put in here.
But it's also really appropriate for me to think about, you know, what's the next chapter? How do I bore my grandchildren? You know, what other books do I need to write that I don't have time to write as secretary? So I am both sad and excited.
So we're talking it's been about six weeks since you announced that this is going to be your last year at the Smithsonian, one of the great loves of your life, as you put it.
How are you feeling as the end of the year approaches? I'm looking behind you at your office.
But, you know, I think that it's both bittersweet because of my love for the Smithsonian and the years I've put in here.
But it's also really appropriate for me to think about, you know, what's the next chapter? How do I bore my grandchildren? You know, what other books do I need to write that I don't have time to write as secretary? So I am both sad and excited.
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