The exterior of the National Museum of African American History and Culture during a temporary video installation in November. (Photo by John Sonderman)

The founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture says that artifacts from Bill Cosby will be included within its walls, but that it will not shy away from the sexual assault allegations that have resurfaced in recent years.

News that a few artifacts of Cosby’s would be included in the museum’s “Taking the Stage” exhibition was met with protestations from some of the more than 50 women who have accused the comedian of sexual assault.

“This is not an exhibition that ‘honors or celebrates’ Bill Cosby but one that acknowledges his
role, among many others, in American entertainment,” Founding Director Lonnie Bunch writes in a statement. Bunch writes that he “respectfully disagrees” with the argument for leaving Cosby out of the museum altogether.

For too long, aspects of African American history have been erased and undervalued, creating an incomplete interpretation of the American past. This museum seeks to tell, in the words of the eminent historian John Hope Franklin, “the unvarnished truth” that will help our visitors to remember and better understand what has often been erased and forgotten. Like all of history, our interpretation of Bill Cosby is a work in progress, something that will continue to evolve as new evidence and insights come to the fore. Visitors will leave the exhibition knowing more about Mr. Cosby’s impact on American entertainment, while recognizing that his legacy has been severely damaged by the recent accusations.

The museum is set to open in September, with more than 3,000 artifacts available for viewing. According to the Times, it has collected more than 35,000 objects.