The National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

February 2025

The Natural History Museum is by far the most popular of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. (3.9 million visitors in 2024, nearly double the next most popular, the American History Museum at 2.1 million). It contains a wide variety of exhibitions on Earth’s geological history, humanity’s evolution, gems, animals, insects, and of course, fossilized dinosaur skeletons in exciting poses.

I’ve visited a number of times, and I’ve come to realize that it’s evolved into primarily a kids’ museum. This is partly due to its scope: natural history is an outrageously broad topic to address in a finite building, especially one with things like a dedicated gem exhibition, two cafes, and four (!) gift shops. Everything can be touched on only briefly and using the most general terms and phrases. It’s not bad; it’s just not particularly engaging for the average adult, beyond a few factoids.

That said, the museum is an excellent place for families to visit, as kids will be constantly diverted by the endless parade of artifacts and exhibits. There’s always something new around the corner here.