Place 3 of 4District of Columbia, USA
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
The history
Part of the Smithsonian, founded in 1846 on a British scientist's bequest "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Home of the Hope Diamond — and admission is free.
In brief
The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. It received 3.3 million visits in 2025.
Read more →The archival photograph
