Pepperdine University closed an exhibit at its Weisman Museum after administrators removed or altered works deemed “overtly political,” prompting artists to withdraw pieces and the museum to shutter the show. Officials cited museum policy and nonprofit regulations while artists and critics called the moves censorship. Pieces with phrases such as “Save the Children” and “Abolish ICE” were reportedly modified or turned off, sparking protests from contributors and a public debate about academic freedom, curatorial discretion and institutional policy. Pepperdine said it would honor compensation and offered apologies to affected artists. Why it matters: the closure highlights tensions between donor, institutional and curatorial priorities and raises questions about free expression, museum governance and how universities police political content in campus cultural spaces.