National Museum of Natural History

Opened in 1910, the Museum of Natural History is located on the National Mall. It maintains and preserves the world's most extensive collection of natural history specimens and human artifacts. It also fosters critical scientific research, as well as educational programs and exhibitions that present the work of its scientists and curators to the public. The Museum's more than 500 scientific staff produce some 700 original research publications each year.

Permanent exhibitions include the Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals (showcasing the Hope diamond); the African Voices Hall; the Dinosaur Hall; the Orkin Insect Zoo; Life in the Ancient Seas; Mammals in the Limelight; What's New in Human Evolution; Origins of Western Culture; South America: Continent and Culture; Cultures of the Pacific and Asia; Osteology; Cold-Blooded Vertebrates; and In Search of the Giant Squid, presenting the Museum's pioneering research on Architeuthis dux, the world's largest and most elusive invertebrate.