An independent review of the Smithsonian's eight art institutions has called for major renovations of the buildings, management and funding.

The review, by a panel of seven museum directors, including advisers from the Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, says the eight museums were "drastically underfunded" and have "seldom lived up to their names."

The report, presented to the Smithsonian's board in January, was released late Wednesday.

"Art Museums are a late entry into the Smithsonian and receive a proportionally small share of … federal funding compared to history and science," said the committee, adding low funding means the art museums are unable to expand their exhibits.

'Some of our collections ... need improvement'—Ned Rifkin, undersecretary for art at the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian gets about $640 million US annually from the American government but officials have refused to divulge how it's parcelled out.

"Some of our collections are indeed world-class and others need improvement," admitted Ned Rifkin, the institute's undersecretary for art. Rifkin initiated the review back in 2005.

He said the report should be seen as "constructive criticism."

Among the report's recommendations: repairs to stop water leaks at the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, which house Asian and Islamic art and focus on art education for schools.

Rifkin said the leaks have been repaired.

'Long-standing lack of visionary leadership'

Other recommendations include reorganizing the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum under one director. The panel also noted the National Museum of African Art suffers from a "long-standing lack of visionary leadership."

It also criticized plans for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, citing the museum's historically low attendance, and recommended that certain administrative and curatorial functions be amalgamated to eliminate duplication.

The majority of the Smithsonian's museums are located in the Washington, D.C., area, including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

The Smithsonian, founded more than 155 years ago, was established to create a "shared understanding" of the American identity and had primarily preserved accomplishments in U.S. scientific innovation.

With files from the Associated Press