National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History Review

This is one of the world's great natural history museums. In 2010, the museum celebrated its centenary, and now boasts 18 exhibition halls and an IMAX Theater. The giant dinosaur fossils, glittering gems, creepy-crawly insects, and other natural delights—more than 126 million specimens in all—attract more than 7 million visitors annually.

Highlights

Get between Tyrannosaurus rex and his dinner, a feisty Triceratops. The two giant fossils are poised for action, as are the other occupants of the popular Dinosaur Hall, which range from a 72-foot-long Diplodocus longus to a tiny Thescelosaurus neglectus (a small dinosaur so named because its disconnected bones sat for years in a college drawer before being reassembled).

Watch out for the cheetah above you on the tree branch in Mammal Hall, which explains mammals' evolution, diversity, and role in the food chain with 274 taxidermy mounts.

See a perfectly preserved giant squid and the vivid ecosystem of a living coral reef in Ocean Hall, the museum's newest and largest exhibit. Tours are offered Saturdays and Sundays at 11 and 2. The Ocean Explorer theater simulates a dive into the depths of the sea.

Drool over the jewels in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals : Marie Antoinette's earrings; the Rosser Reeves ruby; and the Hope Diamond, a rare 45.52-carat blue gem donated by Harry Winston in 1958.

Walk among hundreds of brilliantly colored butterflies in the Butterfly Pavilion, which requires a separate admission. For a different kind of entomological experience, check out giant millipedes and furry tarantulas in the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, named for the pest-control magnate who donated money to modernize the exhibits.

Tips

The IMAX theater shows two- and three-dimensional natural history films throughout the day. Buy advance tickets at the box office when you arrive, then tour the museum. The Butterfly Pavilion makes a great photo op. Timed tickets sell out fast—buy them in advance online or when you arrive. The pavilion is free on Tuesday, but still requires a timed ticket. The Discovery Room has hands-on research activities and workshops for kids. Visit Friday evenings from 6:30 to 10 for the "Smithsonian Jazz Café": entertainment, food and wine, shopping, and special IMAX films. Watch paleontologists at work in the glassed-in fossil labs throughout Dinosaur Hall and the Life in the Ancient Seas gallery.