The National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution in Washington D. C. is one of the largest natural history museums in the United States. Visiting it can easily occupy an entire day, and you will find that you still have not seen the entire museum!
The National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution is one of several fascinating museums on the Smithsonian Mall, all are within easy walking distance of the Smithsonian Metro stop. Admission is free, and the museum is open 10:00 to 5:30 pm daily. Consider becoming a member of the Smithsonian Institution, for only $24 per year you receive monthly issues of Smithsonian magazine, one of my favourite magazines, and discounts at the museum shops and on items from the Smithsonian catalogue. It is well worth the price.
Currently, the featured exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History is "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga." Although this exhibit is not about paleontology, I recommend visiting it for its interesting coverage of Norse history, and dispelling quite a few myths of the "barbaric Viking". Besides, we paleontologists tend to find archaeology and anthropology almost as fascinating as we do paleontology! The museum also has other cultural exhibits that are worth seeing, native cultures of the Americans, African Voices, Asian cultures, Western cultures, and South America: Continent and Culture.
When you enter the Hall of Fossils and Paleontology, it is best to go into the Early Life exhibit first, this way you get an introduction to the changes happening on earth that lead to the development of early life forms. The Fossil Plants exhibit is quite interesting, and contains many specimens of fossilized wood and plants, including some that you can touch. The Fossil Plants exhibit will take you through a hallway containing reptiles, amphibians, and mammal-like reptiles such as Dimetrodon into the Dinosaurs exhibit.
The Dinosaurs exhibit contains skeletons of many favourite dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Camarosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Maiasaurus, and Albertosaurus. Go up the stairs to the second level to see an interesting exhibit on the development of flight, in addition to a Pterosaur skeleton, and some information about "living fossils", including the Coelacanth. You will also find the jaws and teeth of a modern great white shark, and an extinct Carcaradon megalodon, with silhouettes on the wall to demonstrate the size of the living animals.
Come back down to the first level, and wander through the Fossil Mammals exhibit, which includes information and skeletons about the development of our modern horse, from its tiny, un-horse-like ancestors. Be sure to wander through the Ancient Seas exhibit, which shows skeletons of several marine animals, including a plesiosaur, the extinct whale Basilosaurus, early seals, and early sea birds.
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