Madison Library, Children’s Museum Impacted by Trump Eliminating Federal Department

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – The Trump administration is cutting funding critical to museums and libraries, which has benefitted dozens of institutions across Wisconsin. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order essentially eliminating seven parts of the federal government deemed “inessential”, including the Institute of Museum And Library Services. 

Last year, the IMLS had nearly $300 million appropriated by Congress. That money gets distributed to museums and libraries as grants, including ones here in Madison. 

The Madison Public Library used IMLS grant money to create its Bubbler arts learning program, and now libraries all over the country are following suit, using Madison as an example. That’s according to library director Tana Elias. 

Meanwhile, the Madison Children’s Museum is currently right in the middle of executing a yearlong IMLS grant. They’re using it to evaluate engagement, and how they could grow in the future. The Children’s Museum has gotten some of that money, but not all of it. 

Now, the Library and Children’s Museum are asking residents to call their senators and ask them to push back against the executive order. 

Other Madison mainstays have gotten funding from the Institute too, including the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Veterans Museum, the Chazen Museum, Olbrich Gardens, and MMoCA. 

According to the city of Madison, over the last 15 years, the IMLS has given on average 18 grants per year to Wisconsin institutions, for a total of nearly $70 million.