CAC’s Museum of Unnatural Disasters Forced to Close Early by Trump Birthday
For Immediate Release: June 10, 2026
Contact: Gabrielle Levy at Glevy@cacampaign.org and/or (562)673-6974
CAC’s Museum of Unnatural Disasters Forced to Close Early by Trump Birthday
Two-week exhibit brought to life stories from extreme weather survivors and the new shared reality of climate change
Washington–After eight days of powerful programming, a museum dedicated to the human toll of climate change has been forced to close early, shut out by preparations for President Trump’s birthday celebration on the National Mall, just as a dangerous new heatwave bears down on the nation’s capital.
Visitors came face to face with the rising cost of climate change at the Museum of Unnatural Disasters, an immersive exhibit that brought survivors of wildfires, floods, and extreme heat to the heart of the nation’s capital before being forced to close early this week.
"This administration seems to think that celebrating Trump’s birthday is more important than the suffering and destruction caused by the climate crisis. Yet again it is clear that the Trump administration is prioritizing its relationships with billionaires and fossil fuel companies – not with average Americans who are suffering," said Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign. "The Museum of Unnatural Disasters showcased the real life impacts of climate change, demonstrating the toll that extreme weather disasters have on people, their homes, their budgets and their lives. Trump would rather people not know the truth, firing scientists, canceling critical research, and eliminating protections that keep people safe when extreme weather is on its way. Trump’s grotesque vanity project is taking precedence over the very real dangers Americans face every day across this country."
The exhibit, a project of the Climate Action Campaign in partnership with the Center for American Progress, Climate Power, and Extreme Weather Survivors, took visitors inside the lived experience of survivors of some of the most devastating climate disasters of recent years, including catastrophic flooding in central North Carolina, record-breaking extreme heat across the Southwest, and the LA wildfires of 2025. Through photographs, artifacts, personal testimonies, and interactive displays, the museum makes viscerally real what headlines and data points don’t always convey: Climate change is not a future threat. It is destroying lives right now.
“With extreme weather disasters hitting every corner of the country, it is more important than ever to raise awareness about the dangers these events pose and what is truly at stake: our communities, our families, and our future,” said Trevor Higgins, Senior Vice President of Energy and Environment at the Center for American Progress. “The Museum of Unnatural Disasters did precisely that for D.C. residents and visitors, showing how fossil-fueled disasters are making communities across the country more vulnerable to the life-changing impacts of extreme weather. It is a shame that the Trump administration chose to prioritize a birthday vanity project over educating Americans about the destruction these disasters are causing right now, and about how its attacks on climate protections and disaster preparedness are leaving families even more vulnerable. The Museum may be closing its doors early, but the fight to protect our communities is not over. We will continue raising awareness, building resilience, and demanding action because there’s too much at stake.”
Events during the museum’s run featured climate disaster survivors, experts, members of Congress, public health leaders, and other advocates. Programming focused on the health impacts of climate change, how extreme heat is becoming more dangerous and deadly, the economic pain inflicted by climate disasters, and the consequences of inaction that puts people in harm’s way.
"As the climate crisis gets worse, it’s essential that people know the risks we face. Extreme weather can happen to anyone, anywhere," said Alt, "and it is". "The Museum of Unnatural Disasters created the space for visitors to put themselves in the shoes of survivors, to imagine what they would save if given only minutes to flee a fire or a hurricane, and to engage in real conversations about the changes we must see in order to make sure people are prepared and protected. We must talk about the climate crisis if we have any hope of fighting it. Our time on the Mall has been forced to end early, but the conversation and our work will continue."
You can watch recordings of the panel discussions here.
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The Museum of Unnatural Disasters was located on the National Mall at Constitution Gardens East End Plaza, near 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. The exhibit was free and open to the public from June 3 to June 10. Information, recordings of the events, and more can be found at UnnaturalDisastersMuseum.com.
About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
About the Museum of Unnatural Disasters
The Museum of Unnatural Disasters is a multi-day, pop-up exhibit that features photographs, artifacts, interactive exhibits, and more that allow visitors to step into the lives of survivors of extreme weather, confront the impact climate change is having right here, right now, and learn how they can use their voices for real, durable change.
