National Museum of Natural History
8.8Locals Score / 10#4 of 8 Museums in Washington, DC
free
Known forsmithsonianfreenational mallfamily
The Smithsonian's natural history museum on the Mall, famous for the Hope Diamond, the giant rotunda elephant, a renovated dinosaur fossil hall and a live butterfly pavilion. It is enormous, free and family-friendly, so target a few halls rather than trying to see everything. It gets very busy midday, so arrive at opening or in late afternoon.
Key facts
| Hours | Hours not verified |
|---|---|
| Price | free |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | — |
| Time needed | — |
| Best time to go | — |
| Last verified | July 15, 2026 |
Locals Score
8.8/10- Value9.5
- Iconic9.0
- Excellence9.0
- Crowd level8.5
- Authenticity8.5
- Accessibility8.5
Nearby in Ask Washington DC
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryMuseum0.01 km · 0 min walk
- How to Do DC's Free Museums RightAttraction0.2 km · 2 min walk
- National MallPark0.3 km · 4 min walk
- National Museum of American HistoryMuseum0.34 km · 4 min walk
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenMuseum0.44 km · 5 min walk
Where to stay near National Museum of Natural History
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