Museums have been affected, too. The National Gallery of Art, all 19 Smithsonian museums, and the National Zoo were closed last week because of the shutdown. (“Essential personnel” remain on hand at the zoo to care for the animals.)
[Though the museum is closed, you may still be able to see the art within. Some paintings have a double life online.]
Science, research and public health
The scientific community has been affected, too. Some government labs are empty, with scientists having been sent home. Research, some of it time sensitive, has been disrupted. And the flow of grant money may be interrupted, too.
Some agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, are largely or entirely unaffected. But others, such as the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service, have sent many workers home.
[Read more about the shutdown’s toll on science and research.]
Inspections of chemical factories, power plants, oil refineries, water treatment plants, and thousands of other industrial sites have also ground to a halt because the Environmental Protection Agency had to furlough most of its employees in charge of inspecting pollution and monitoring compliance.
(PHOTO CAPTIONS Thousands of veterans, active-duty members of the military, reserve personnel and supporters marching in Manhattan for the annual Veterans Day Parade.)
Food inspections and aid
The shutdown has also affected food safety oversight.
While the Agriculture Department is still inspecting meat, poultry, eggs, grain and other commodities, the Food and Drug Administration has stopped its routine inspections of seafood, fruits, vegetables and other foods at high risk of contamination.