Attraction
National Air and Space Museum
The Smithsonian's flagship aviation and space museum on the National Mall, home to the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis and the Apollo 11 command…
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian's natural history museum on the Mall, known for the Hope Diamond, its dinosaur hall, the Sant Ocean Hall and a live insect zoo.
At a glance
- Type
- Natural history museum
- Area
- National Mall, Washington DC, United States
- Opening
- Open daily · 10:00–17:30
- Official site
- naturalhistory.si.edu
Good to know
- Free entry
- No passes needed
- Step-free entrances
- Lifts to all floors
- Two cafés
Why we recommend it
The National Museum of Natural History opened on 17 March 1910 in a neoclassical building on the north side of the National Mall. It is one of the most visited museums in Washington and an easy first stop for families, partly because it needs no advance booking.
The Hope Diamond is the single most famous object here, displayed in its own setting in the gems and minerals galleries. The fossil hall reopened in June 2019 and is built around a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, set within a wider story of life on Earth over millions of years. The Sant Ocean Hall, opened in 2008, covers marine life with hundreds of specimens and models. Children also tend to enjoy the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, with its live insects, and the Butterflies + Plants pavilion.
Entry is free and no passes or tickets are needed. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm and is closed on 25 December. You can enter from the Mall side on Madison Drive or from Constitution Avenue, and all entrances are accessible. Every visitor goes through security screening. There is no coat check, locker or bag storage, so bring as little as possible, and tripods and selfie sticks are among the items that are not allowed.
There are two places to eat. The Ocean Terrace Café on the first floor serves food from 11am to 3pm with a coffee bar open longer, and the Atrium Café on the ground floor is open from 11am to 5pm. Packed lunches must be eaten outside, and the lawns of the Mall are close by.
Accessibility is good. There are lifts to every floor, the exhibits and toilets are wheelchair accessible and a small number of free manual wheelchairs are available on a first-come basis. The museum also offers an audio description app for the fossil hall, and a family toilet off the Sant Ocean Hall.
Allow two to three hours, more if you have dinosaur fans with you. Federal Triangle Metro station is the closest, with Archives and Metro Center also within walking distance. The National Gallery of Art is a short walk east along the Mall and the National Air and Space Museum is across the lawns on the south side.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History FAQs
Is the Natural History Museum free?
Yes. Entry is free and no passes or tickets are needed.
What are the opening hours?
Daily 10am to 5:30pm. Closed on 25 December.
Where is the Hope Diamond?
It is on show in the museum's gems and minerals galleries.
Is there a cloakroom?
No. There is no coat check, locker or bag storage, so travel light.
Where can we eat?
The Ocean Terrace Café on the first floor and the Atrium Café on the ground floor. Packed lunches must be eaten outside.
Is the museum accessible?
Yes. There are lifts to every floor, all entrances are accessible and a few free manual wheelchairs are available.
What is the nearest Metro?
Federal Triangle, with Archives and Metro Center also close.
What do children enjoy most?
The dinosaur hall, the live insect zoo and the butterfly pavilion are usually the favourites.