‘Castle silhouette’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’
The Newseum has cut 29 people from its full-time staff, trimming down for the second time since its April 2008 reopening. The cuts came late last month. The floor staff saw only minor cutbacks and the museum president, Kenneth Paulson, has stated that the cuts “should not affect the experience of museum visitors.”
Fundraising seems to be the culprit for the Newseum, which is not a federally subsidized museum. Paulson indicated that the museum had fewer new donors that caused the facility to fall short of its budgeted pledges by about 20 percent.
Across the Mall (relatively speaking), the Smithsonian Institution has received over 150 responses to a voluntary buyout plan it announced in September. The Smithsonian stated earlier this fall that it wanted to trim its staff for economic reasons, especially due to large declines in its endowment. In 2003, when the institution last offered a buyout, 238 employees left. Officials have said that with the tighter operational budget for 2010, no buyouts would be offered next year.
Having lived in the DC area for ten years, Ben still loves to wander the city with his wife, shooting lots of photos and exploring all the latest exhibits and galleries. A certified hockey fanatic, he spends some time debating the Washington Capitals club with friends – but everyone knows of his three decade love affair with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A professional writer, gamer, photographer, and Lego enthusiast, Ben remains captivated by DC and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.
