Museum of Natural History - Museum of Natural History information and pictures



The National Museum of Natural History, located on Washington DC’s National Mall, is a spectacular repository, of artifacts and exhibits from the seemingly ordinary to the sublime. Dozens of exhibition halls displaying, rare gems, minerals, fossils, giant, stuffed mammals, dinosaurs and insects, provide a visitor with a view of the wonders of the world, big and small. The exhibit halls are filled with some of the largest historical collections in the world. The insect collection alone contains 30 million insect specimens.

Neoclassical Architecture - The National Museum of Natural History, is yet another, graceful Beaux-Arts, landmark, gracing this Nation’s capital city. The architectural firm of, Hornblower and Marshall designed the Natural History Museum, in 1910, in the neoclassical style, featuring a classical dome, covered in green, slate shingles. The spacious rotunda, in an octagon design, with Doric and Ionic, columns used throughout the building, rewards the visitor with a true, turn of the century experience while touring the exhibits displayed in modern fashion.

Museum Highlights - Many visitors arrive at the Museum of Natural History, to see the famous Hope Diamond, the Star of Asia Sapphire and the dinosaur skeletons. The Hope Diamond, a spectacular, 45.52-carat, bright blue diamond, encircled with smaller, white diamonds, has been displayed at the museum since 1958. The Hope Diamond is said to be cursed, and has a colorful and infamous history of origin, that visitors find more intriguing than the actual stone, it seems.

The Star of Asia Sapphire is a dazzling, bright, violet blue, 330-carat, star sapphire, which once belonged to the Maharajah of Jodhpur. The sapphire has been exhibited at the Museum of Natural History, since 1961, as part of the largest gem collection in the world. The Hall of Dinosaurs features, life sized skeletons including, a Tyrannosaurs Rex and a Triceratops. The museum also offers a children’s touch and feel discovery room, a live coral reef, butterfly garden and an IMAX theatre.

Where is the National Museum of Natural History: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW

How to get to National Museum of Natural History: By Subway to Smithsonian Station (Mall exit) ( Blue and Orange line)

Opening Hours: Daily from10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

For more information on current events visit the National Museum of Natural History web site.

National Museum of Natural History Washington



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