Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

If you want to delight your kids with an impressive museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History should be high on your list when your family travels to Washington, D.C. With exhibits highlighting dinosaur bones, a mammals, human origins, and more, this museum could be a travel destination of its own!

Logistics

Destination: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Address: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20560

Cost: Free!

Dinosaur Bones

Most people would agree that seeing dinosaur skeletons is really cool. If this appeals to you, you now know where to go to find a whole room full of them!

Dinosaur at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

If you are traveling with kids, what child wouldn’t enjoy a T-Rex chomping on a fallen friend? Or maybe they would prefer to see a victorious stegosaurus?

In any case, there is plenty of dinosaur action going on in this museum!

Mammals

If for some reason dinosaur bones aren’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of modern mammal exhibits in similar themes of victim and victor to explore.

Mammal Exhibit in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

And they have more peaceful exhibits too.

Bear at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Lion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

As well as tons of skeletons.

Skeleton at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Human Origins

One of my kids learned about “Lucy,” a human ancestor that lived 3.2 million years ago, in school, and was super excited when he found her in the human origins section!

Human Origin Exhibit in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

There are plenty of other fossils that show how the human body developed over the years. I found the exhibit that pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of different fossils to be fascinating.

I firmly believe that God is a master engineer and scientist, using natural processes, and that he had a lot of fun in the creation of modern man. Dinosaurs were simply his “fun” project that he did before he decided that they really wouldn’t work with humans in the world. Once he finally had his “Adam,” he breathed true life into him and then the Bible began. My opinion, so feel free to disagree!

Geology

While our family tends to prefer the animal exhibits, and we breezed by the less interesting rocks, the section on gems and geodes is sure to delight.

Geology Exhibit in the Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

Geology Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

There is also some pretty fancy jewelry to admire, even if my pictures are less than stellar.

Jewelry Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

And More!

There are plenty more exhibits that range from sea creatures, to insects, to epidemics, and beyond!

Skeleton Exhibit in the Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

If you want to see something truly bizarre and ironic, check out the insect exhibit that is sponsored by Orkin Pest Control!

Insect Zoo sign at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

We had a great time at this Natural History Museum and we hope that on your next road trip or vacation to Washington, D.C., that you will take the time to take your kids to this museum!

Keep reading our travel blog to hear about our experiences in Washington, D.C.!

Here are some more posts from this trip: