Museum Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Revoked IMLS Funding

In an unprecedented move, the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging unlawful termination of a grant and the subsequent dissolution of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The lawsuit, filed in August, stems from the museum's loss of access to a $750,000 grant awarded by the IMLS through the "Save America's Treasures" program in 2024. The grant was intended for revamping the museum's catalog system and digitizing works for an exhibition.

The termination of the IMLS occurred after President Trump signed the executive order "Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy" in April. The same month, a federal judge ruled against stopping the Trump administration from continuing to slash the IMLS.

The museum had expected to receive the grant award towards its historic preservation program. However, with the IMLS termination, the Trump administration did not designate any authority to enable the museum’s operation after dissolving the IMLS, causing the museum to lose access to its grant.

In an attempt to resolve the issue, the government stated in an August 11 court filing that IMLS reduction-in-force notices were rescinded. However, staffing cuts at the IMLS have halted the agency from further servicing grants and distributing funding.

As a result, the Woodmere Art Museum is scrambling to complete its "America 250" exhibition slated for next year, which was partly funded by the withheld grant. The museum has already received grant reimbursements distributed quarterly, with Woodmere receiving about $195,000 so far.

The IMLS, established in 1996, is legally bound to support libraries and report important issues to Congress. Its potential federal defunding, should the Trump administration's proposed 2026 fiscal budget be approved by Congress, with an allocation of only $6 million, would close the agency and several others at the beginning of 2026.

Notably, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined in June that the Trump administration's withholding of funding for the IMLS is in violation of the law. A coalition of states also challenged funding cuts, with a Rhode Island federal judge issuing a preliminary injunction in May in an effort to stop the layoffs.

The IMLS, which has supported numerous museums, libraries, and cultural institutions across the United States, continues to face the possibility of federal defunding. The legal battle between the Woodmere Art Museum and the Trump administration is expected to shed light on the role and importance of the IMLS in preserving America's cultural heritage.