National Museum of Natural History
Celebrating the history of life and the planet we live in, the National Museum of Natural History is also home to some of the world’s most precious gemstones.
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History has approximately 1.5 million square feet of space that houses one of the world’s largest collections of natural artifacts and specimens. Over 300,000 square feet of that space is used to display the national collection of natural specimens. The collection contains hundreds of millions of plant, animal, and mineral specimens, as well as cultural artifacts from across the globe. The displays are designed to engage the minds and imaginations of the millions of visitors the museum receives each year. Permanent and temporary displays educate visitors about many aspects of natural history, exploring themes of nature and culture from around the world and throughout the span of history.
Admission is completely free, and the museum is open every day of the year except Christmas. The National Museum of Natural History is also the home of the national research facilities, where specimens are constantly being preserved and added to the museum’s collection.
The museum is located on the north side of the National Mall across from the Smithsonian Castle. The American History Museum, as well as the National Archives, are close by. The Capitol Building is located a short walk away to the east and you can easily see the Washington Monument to the west.
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Interesting Facts
- The Hope Diamond, the most famous diamond in the world, resides at the Museum of Natural History. It is said to be the second most visited piece of artwork in the world, second only to the Mona Lisa.
- The U.S.’s collection of marine specimens is considered to be the largest in the world, with more than 80 million specimens.
- The National Museum of Natural History was first opened on March 17, 1910, and celebrated its 100th birthday on March 17, 2010.
- The Museum contains several rocks from other worlds. You can touch several large meteorites as well as a piece of the Moon and you can see a rock from Mars.