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National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian Voices

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To Recreate a 17th-Century Masterwork, an Entomologist at the National Museum of Natural History Got Creative with Butterflies, Bees and a Bit of Rosemary

The display will be featured in a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art as part of a historic collaboration along the National Mall

Jack Tamisiea | May 16, 2025

Two women stand in a field, holding bundles of grasses with a rainbow coloring the sky in the background.

To Bridge Heritage and Science, the Smithsonian’s Inclusive Education Programs Empower Learners Through Culture and Community

Through Indigenous weaving workshops and environmental science projects, the Smithsonian engages in co-learning projects to support culturally responsive education

Emma Saaty | November 27, 2024

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This Fall at the Museum: Fossils, Fossils and More Fossils!

There are also events about mushrooms, bats and much more at the National Museum of Natural History in September and October

Jack Tamisiea | August 29, 2024

The National Museum of Natural History rotunda is lit up with green garlands hanging from the balconies, with the elephant standing the the middle of the image.

Deck the Halls With Nature Crafts and More Natural History Programs This December

Join us for programs about colorful corals, ancient art and more at the National Museum of Natural History

Ellyn Lapointe | December 7, 2023
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Discover How Domesticating Dogs Influenced Human Evolution and Other Natural History Programs This May

Participate in a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon and more this month at the National Museum of Natural History

Jack Tamisiea | May 12, 2023
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The Smithsonian’s Only Botanical Illustrator Transforms Science Into Stunning Works of Art

Learn how botanical illustrator Alice Tangerini keeps traditional artistic methods alive in the increasingly digital world of science

Emma Saaty | April 11, 2023
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Meet the Smithsonian Scientist Studying the Mysterious Mongolian Deer Stones

Archaeologist William Fitzhugh has spent the past two decades documenting carved stone monoliths in the Mongolian countryside to uncover the secrets of an elusive ancient culture

Emma Saaty | March 9, 2023
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Viking Women and Black-Footed Ferrets Are Coming to the Museum This Holiday Season

Have a holly jolly holiday and tune into exciting programming about the natural world at the museum this December

Lyric Aquino | December 2, 2022
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Lucy’s Legacy: Celebrating the 48th Anniversary of Her Discovery with a Selfie

The iconic ancient hominin gets her hands on a smartphone in anticipation of the museum’s upcoming exhibition exploring the global impact of cellphones.

Lyric Aquino | November 24, 2022
A tan-colored skull and spine sticks out of a sandy surface. The jaws of the elongated skull are studded with sharp teeth that are angled at the viewer.

This November, Be Thankful for Specialty Spirits and Ancient Sea Monsters

Tune into programs about “underground astronauts,” archetype-busting archaeologists and more with the National Museum of Natural History

Jack Tamisiea | November 16, 2022
A green ridged cactus towers vertically over the camera with a deep blue sky in the background

How a Smithsonian Botanist Cracked the Cactus Code a Century Ago

Celebrate National Cactus Day by meeting the pioneering botanist, Joseph Nelson Rose

Jack Tamisiea | May 10, 2022
A small bonfire burns in the foreground with a sunset in the background.

Explore How Fire Shaped Human Evolution and More Natural History Programs This March

Tune in to programs on the future of biodiversity, how to talk about climate change and more through the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Madison Goldberg | February 28, 2022
Three black and white acorn woodpeckers perched on a branch with wings spread.

Discover How Animals Show Their Love and Other Natural History Programs This February

Stream programs on early human ancestry, the history of disease and more through the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Madison Goldberg | January 31, 2022
A person using a notebook while kneeling in grass on a sunny day in Kenya.

Seven Natural History Programs to Stream for Free in October

Stream these programs and more through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Tess Joosse | September 30, 2021
“Unsettled Nature” features artworks by Bethany Taylor and six other contemporary artists that show how humans have changed nature.  (James Di Loreto, Smithsonian)

Artists Show Human Impact on the Planet in New Exhibit

The exhibition raises the question of what is “natural” in a world dominated by humans.

Margaret Osborne | July 1, 2021
Karen Osborn, invertebrate zoologist and curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, uses photography to help people connect with the hard-to-see marine animals she studies, like this deep-sea jellyfish (Voragonema pedunculata). (Karen Osborn, Smithsonian)

Why Science Needs Art

From teaching curious museumgoers to adding creativity to the scientific process, art is an essential component of the science done at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Raven Capone Benko | April 15, 2020
The Smithsonian’s new fossil hall includes myriad stories and details – big and small – about Earth’s 4.6-billion-year history. (Smithsonian Institution)

Five Things You Shouldn’t Miss in the New Fossil Hall

Here's what the experts behind "Deep Time" don't want you to miss.

Erin I. Garcia de Jesus | July 18, 2019
Past and present female scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have advanced humankind’s understanding of the natural world and its place in it. L to R: Adrienne Kaeppler, Hannah Wood, Marian Pettibone, Sorena Sorenson and Kay Behrensmeyer. (Smithsonian Institution).

Get to Know the Leading Ladies of Science at the Smithsonian

These women paved the way for female scientists at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Anna Torres | March 8, 2019
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