Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, District of Columbia
Tel:
(202) 633-1000
Pay a visit to the largest Museum of Natural History in the world! The National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. is home to 125 million specimens of nature, and with its spectacular exhibits is a true national treasure.
With countless specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artifacts, the National Museum of Natural History is the second-most popular of all of the Smithsonian museums. The museum was established in 1910, and the building was designed in the neoclassical architectural style. Perhaps the most popular exhibit is the Dinosaur Hall, which is filled with the creatures' giant skeletons along with other ancients such as birds and sharks.
Other popular exhibits include the Hall of Mammals, with its interactive dioramas on mammal evolution and adaptation over millions of years, and the National Gem and Mineral Collection, one of the most well-known gem collections in the world, which includes the famous Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia Sapphire.
If visiting with kids, stop in at the first-floor Discovery Room, which is filled with hands-on exhibits - and don't miss the Discovery Center, which has an IMAX theater with six-story-high screens. The museum's Atrium Café offers natural and sustainable foods including natural beef burgers, chicken, pizza and taquerias. The Fossil Café Espresso/Cappuccino bar also has sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts.
The closest Metro Station to the National Museum of Natural History is the Smithsonian Station (Mall exit) on the Blue and Orange line. And as with every Smithsonian museum, admission is free so there's no excuse to miss all the fun!
From National Museum of Natural History - Washington, DC:
The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's preeminent museum and research complex. The Museum is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery, and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs. Opened in 1910, the green-domed museum on the National Mall was among the first Smithsonian building constructed exclusively to house the national collections and research facilities.