Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Explore the natural world around you at this free gem on the National Mall.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History opened in 1910 to invoke discovery and education of the natural world. Its green dome and immense size (comparable to 18 football fields) are signatures, as well as the 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts that the museum contains.

What’s inside the National Museum of Natural History?

The museum contains some of the most famous artifacts in the world. The Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals has the supposedly cursed Hope Diamond on display. Meanwhile, Q?rius, the museum’s education center, offers teens and tweens a lab where they can make their own scientific discoveries. The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins details the story of how the human species evolved through full-size reconstructions; the exhibit features more than 285 fossils and artifacts. Other permanent exhibits include an insect zoo and The Sant Ocean Hall, which features an exact replica of a living North Atlantic right whale.

Note: The National Fossil Hall is currently undergoing renovations and won't reopen until 2019.

Planning your visit

The Museum of Natural History is centrally located in Washington, DC on the National Mall. Like all Smithsonian Institution Museums, admission is free. Its regular hours are 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., but hours are extended during the summer with a closing time of 7:30 p.m. The museum is open every day of the year except Dec. 25. The most convenient way to reach the museum is via public transportation. Public parking is scarce, but there are parking spaces available for visitors with disabilities. If using Metrorail, take the Orange or Blue line to the Smithsonian station and use the Mall exit. If taking Metrobus, use the 32, 34 or 36 routes.