The Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill neighborhood has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking the reinstatement of a $750,000 grant that was rescinded earlier this year. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, names President Donald Trump, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), its acting director, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and its director as defendants.

The museum is requesting that the funding be restored before the institution suffers what it describes as "irreparable harm." The grant was originally awarded in September 2024 through the IMLS's "Save America's Treasures" program, which is designed to preserve "nationally significant historic properties or collections" across the United States.

According to museum CEO and Director Bill Valerio, the grant money was earmarked for critical infrastructure improvements including updating the museum's outdated storage system, digitizing works in its collection, and planning future exhibitions. Among these planned exhibitions is a major display for next year's semiquincentennial celebration commemorating America's 250th anniversary.

Woodmere Art Museum, which opened its doors in 1940, primarily showcases artists from the greater Philadelphia region. The institution has grown significantly over the decades and now houses more than 10,000 works in its collection. The museum's historical significance has been recognized through its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

The controversy began when President Trump signed an executive order in March aimed at dismantling the IMLS. Following this action, Woodmere received official notification that its previously approved grant had been terminated. An April letter from the IMLS, which is cited in the legal complaint, stated that the grant's purpose was "no longer consistent with the agency's priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS Program."

The lawsuit describes the sudden termination as catching "Woodmere in midair," forcing the museum to scramble to keep its preservation project alive. The institution has been particularly frustrated by what it sees as inconsistent treatment by federal agencies. In May, the IMLS chose to reinstate two previously revoked grants to Historic Germantown and the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel University, while Woodmere's multiple requests for review have gone unanswered.

Valerio emphasized the urgency of the situation, explaining that the museum had already entered into various agreements based on the expectation of receiving the federal funding. "Once awarded the grant, we relied upon it and entered into our own agreements for collection care, conservation, storage solutions and other activities that preserve the collection for future generations," he said in a statement.

The timing of the grant revocation has created additional challenges for the museum, which has several major milestones approaching. "We are not only opening our new building in November, but we are also planning an exhibition for America 250 in spring 2026. We have deadlines to meet associated with collection care for both," Valerio noted.

When contacted for comment, the White House, IMLS, and Office of Management and Budget did not respond to requests. The case represents a broader conflict between cultural institutions and the current administration's efforts to restructure federal arts and culture funding priorities. The outcome of this lawsuit could have implications for other museums and cultural organizations that have faced similar grant revocations under the current administration's policies.