Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

★5.0
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.

Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

A world-renowned museum showcasing extensive collections of fossils, minerals, gemstones, cultural artifacts, human origins exhibits, wildlife specimens, and scientific discoveries spanning Earth's history.

General Information
Hours:
Daily: 10:00am to 5:30pm
Closed December 25
Last entry is typically permitted until closing time
Fees:
Free admission
Some special exhibitions may require separate paid tickets
Pet Policy:
Pets are not allowed inside the museum
Closest cities with hotels:
Washington, DC
Seasons:
All year; spring and fall generally offer the most comfortable weather for exploring nearby National Mall attractions
Location:
/?api=1&query=10th+Street+and+Constitution+Avenue+NW+Washington+DC+20560" rel="noopener" target="_blank">10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Website:
history.si.edu/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">naturalhistory.si.edu

From Arlington, VA (5 mi): Take I-395 or US-50 into Washington, DC, continue toward the National Mall, and proceed to 10th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW where the museum is located.

Overview

The National Museum of Natural History, opened in 1910 on the National Mall, is one of the most visited museums in the world, with more than 146 million specimens. Highlights include the Hall of Fossils, the Deep Time exhibition, and the National Gem Collection with the Hope Diamond, and the museum is also a leading research institution. Admission is free.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the https://naturalhistory.si.edu/>, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Lincoln Memorial Gettysburg Address
David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Lincoln Memorial Statue
Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted