Washington DC Museum of Natural History Guided Tour
About this activity
Smartphone tickets accepted
- Your booking is confirmed immediately
- This activity is available in your language
- This option includes FREE cancellation—book now, risk-free!
Experience Highlights
On this tour you will have the opportunity, for about 2 hours, to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History with a guide. It is the second most visited museum run by the Smithsonian Institution and the second most visited Natural History museum in the world, only behind the one in London.
It has more than 146 million specimens of flora, fauna, minerals, etc., in its interior. Accompanied by an expert guide, you can learn about the museum's rare dinosaur fossils, the multitude of gems and precious stones housed in the institution, insects, plants, fish and much more.
- Visit one of the world's most important natural history museums
- Learn about the museum's collections accompanied by an expert guide.
- Wander the halls of the Smithsonian in search of rare species and fascinating discoveries.
- You can choose to tour in a small group of about 8 people or book a private tour to do it alone with your companions.
What’s included
- Guided tour of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
- Tickets
- Private option (only if chosen when booking)
Select participants and date
Step by Step
In this activity, you will have the opportunity to walk through the corridors of the Natural History Museum for about 2 hours. With an expert guide, you will learn about the museum's vast collection in areas such as zoology, geology, palaeontology and more.
The massive Smithsonian building covers the area of 18 football fields and houses a collection of over 146 million specimens. The legend of the diamond is extensive, having been owned by the French Crown and Queen Marie Antoinette. The jewel was lost during the French Revolution and found its way to the United States. In 1958, its last individual owner sent it by postal service to the Natural History Museum, where it has remained ever since.
In its jewellery collection, the museum also houses the well-known Dom Pedro Aquamarine. This is the largest carved aquamarine jewel in the world. Cut in the shape of an obelisk, it was extracted from a rock weighing more than 45 kg and measuring almost 1 metre high.
Throughout the visit you will also learn about the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and how they were mummified to preserve their bodies. You will also explore enclosures filled with extinct species, such as dinosaurs, and wild animals, such as polar bears, elephants and giraffes.
You will have the opportunity to visit Ocean Hall, the museum's collection of marine species. It exhibits coral reefs, a replica of a 45-ton whale , a giant jellyfish and a giant squid . There is also a 5,700-litre aquarium , which houses species from all over the world.
Other rooms of interest include the Mammal Hall, which has the largest collection of vertebrate animals in the world, and the Insect Hall. Here, habitats such as deserts, jungles and forests have been reproduced in order to preserve the museum's living species.
You can choose to visit in small groups of about 8 participants or you can take a private tour for more personalised attention. What is your choice?