Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
The Hope Diamond, a hall of dinosaurs and a giant elephant, all free on the National Mall.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
Smithsonian Natural History Museum guide: the Hope Diamond, the Hall of Fossils, the African elephant in the rotunda, the Ocean Hall, the butterfly pavilion, free entry and tips.
What to expect
Opened in 1910 on the National Mall, the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world, and entry is free with no ticket needed. Its collections hold more than 140 million specimens and artifacts, from meteorites to mummies.
An African bush elephant towers over the rotunda, and the Hall of Fossils, called Deep Time, follows life on Earth through dinosaur skeletons, including a Tyrannosaurus rex. Upstairs, the Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals holds the Hope Diamond, a deep blue gem of 45.52 carats.
The Sant Ocean Hall hangs a life-size model of a North Atlantic right whale above the exhibits, and a live butterfly pavilion, which charges a small fee, lets you walk among tropical butterflies.
The museum is a short walk from the Washington Monument and the National Air and Space Museum, so it fits easily into a day on the Mall.
Natural History Museum: top things to do
- 1The Hope Diamond
- 2Dinosaurs in the Hall of Fossils
- 3The elephant in the rotunda
- 4The right whale in the Ocean Hall
Natural History Museum: best time to visit
All year; weekday mornings outside school holidays are the quietest.
Insider tips
- Enter from Constitution Avenue if the Mall entrance has a line.
- Go straight to the Hope Diamond at opening, before the crowds.
- Combine it with other free Smithsonian museums on the Mall.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Free |
- Federal park passes such as America the Beautiful are not valid here.
- Entry is free and no ticket is needed; only the live Butterfly Pavilion charges a small fee. Expect a bag check at the door.
- Public transit is the easiest way to get around the center.
Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
572 gas stations within 20 km
- 1.8 km BP open 24 hours · diesel
- 1.8 km Sunoco open 24 hours · diesel
- 2.0 km Exxon open 24 hours
- 2.3 km Exxon
- 2.3 km Exxon
- 2.5 km Exxon open 24 hours · diesel
- 1.1 km eVgo Fast chargers (EVgo)
- 2.0 km EV charging station Fast chargers
- 2.4 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
- 4.5 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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