Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Washington D.C. · United States · Founded 1910
One of the world's great natural history museums, home to the Hope Diamond and more than 145 million scientific specimens. Free entry.
About Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Opened in 1910 on the National Mall, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History is one of the most visited museums in the world, attracting over 4 million visitors a year. Its collection of 145 million specimens spans geology, mineralogy, biology, anthropology, and paleontology.
The museum's landmark exhibits include the Hope Diamond — the world's most famous gemstone at 45.52 carats — and the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils, which houses the Nation's T. rex and a stunning deep-time journey from the earliest life on Earth to the ice ages.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
Preventable blindness, caused by conditions like cataracts and trachoma, affects people of all ages across the world's poorest communities. A small gift — for the cost of a museum ticket — can provide a simple surgery to restore someone's sight and transform their life.