Must-seeSight · MuseumFreeGood for kidsRainy day

National Museum of Natural History

Dinosaurs, a giant squid, the Hope Diamond and the great African elephant in the rotunda. The most popular museum on the Mall, with no pass needed.

Official website
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
Open
Every day 10 AM–5:30 PM except December 25
Price
Free, no pass needed
Time needed
2 hours
Best time
Late afternoon, when the crowds thin.
Address
10th St & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560Google MapsApple Maps
Getting there
Smithsonian or Federal Triangle (Blue, Orange, Silver). The main entrance faces the Mall.
Accessibility
Fully accessible; wheelchairs can be borrowed.
On site
Cafés and restrooms; bags are checked at the entrance.

Why go

Behind the elephant in the rotunda are the Hall of Fossils, with Tyrannosaurus and a timeline of life on Earth; the Hope Diamond and the gems hall upstairs; and the Ocean Hall, with a preserved giant squid and a model of a North Atlantic right whale.

Tips

  • Go straight to the second floor for the Hope Diamond before it gets crowded.
  • The Butterfly Pavilion costs extra; the rest is free.

Nearby

National Archives5 min walkNational Gallery of Art8 min walkNational Museum of African American History and Culture10 min walk · Must-seeNational Air and Space Museum10 min walk · Must-see

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