Life — June 7, 1928 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a chaotic rummage sale at the Smithsonian Institution, satirizing pressure to make public institutions financially self-sufficient. The title suggests converting tax-funded institutions into profit-generating enterprises. The scene shows various items being auctioned, including items labeled with references to American historical artifacts and cultural treasures. A prominent airplane and various merchandise appear among crowds of buyers and sellers in the grand hall. The satire criticizes the notion of commercializing public institutions meant to serve educational and cultural purposes. By portraying the Smithsonian reduced to a flea market hawking artifacts, the cartoonist mocks the idea of forcing government institutions to operate like private businesses rather than public services.