While we were in Washington DC last spring we spent some time in the National Museum of Natural History. We didn't spend as much time there as in other museums, but there were a few exhibits that we wanted to see while we were there.
We steward a collection of 145 million specimens and artifacts. Each one reflects a moment in space and time; in these moments we find Earth’s story. And our researchers continue to glean critical new information from these objects. These discoveries about the past help us model and anticipate the future.
Our exhibits, our educational programs, and our staff and volunteers share our collections and the knowledge drawn from them with millions of visitors every year – deepening their appreciation for science, the natural and cultural world, and the challenges of our time.
--from National Museum of Natural History website
I wasn't too impressed at the bus drivers when we walked up to the Museum.
Quite a bit of construction was going on outside of the museum.
The main steps were mostly open as work was concentrated on either side of the entrance.
Once inside you are able to step into a very impressive rotunda as you begin your experience through the facility.
We started in the ocean area where we got to see this impressive whale display. I think the huge space is very well utilized with a specimen like this.
While impressive, the giant squid doesn't look anywhere near as menacing as those Hollywood produces. It was 36 feet long before the preservation process was begun.
This ammonoid fossil was accompanied
by a sign encouraging visitors to touch it, which as I've stated before is a great trend in museums to increase visitor engagement.
It is fascinating to find other spirals in nature, even if they are sometimes on a vastly different scale.
Next we ventured into a dinosaur exhibit.
Here we found touchable models that represented changing ideas about how these dinosaurs appeared and were presented through different time periods in the last century.
Look out for the tyrannosaurus.
I enjoyed seeing this sign explain that the exhibit was always changing.
Straight out of the dinosaurs we ventured into an exhibit on ancient Egypt.
Naturally it included a number of mummies. While many still exist in museums around the world it is sad to think of how many were destroyed during the early era of modern Egyptology.
There was even a mummy of a bull from the Ptolemaic or Roman period.
We passed by the butterfly pavilion but decided not to purchase tickets for entry.
On an upper level we discovered a fascinating display that talked about elephants as you looked down on the impressive specimens in the rotunda.
Of course we had to stop and see the Hope Diamond.
This is the Dom Pedro Aquamarine, the largest such gem yet discovered. It was uncovered in Brazil in the 1980s and named after the first two emperors of Brazil.
This amethyst quartz sample was once part of 70,000 pound geode!
All of the minerals in this display are calcite.
Sandstone from about 65 miles south of Washington DC was selected to provide much of the building material for the White House and the US Capitol.
The Hall of Mammals contains quite a number of impressive taxidermy displays.
Watch out for the tiger above!
From pangolins to rhinos to moose mammals are fascinating.
I have always thought that okapi look rather extraordinary.
You can see all of the above pictures and more
in this album of pictures that I took during our visit.
~Matt
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