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National Museum of Natural History

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Discover Seven Stories of America in the National Museum of Natural History’s New Exhibition

From a bird prepared by a president to a monumental cave carved by water over millions of years, “From These Lands” reveals how America’s history is etched in nature itself

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This May at the National Museum of Natural History, Learn How Scientists Investigate Volcanic Eruptions

The museum is hosting events throughout the month ranging from an exploration of human evolutionary history to a celebration of all things amphibian

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‘Snarge,’ Seashells and Much More This April at the National Museum of Natural History

This spring, the museum is hosting events exploring everything from how our ancestors wielded wooden tools to the work of forensic ornithologists

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How Did the Ostrich Cross the Ocean? Its Ancestors Flew There

A remarkable fossil in the National Museum of Natural History’s collection reveals that the ancestors of modern flightless birds were capable of flying long distances

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Red or Black, but Nothing in Between: Multicolored Beaks Are a Big Turn Off for Female Jamaican Hummingbirds

Museum scientist Gary Graves has spent decades investigating why red-billed and black-billed streamertail hummingbirds remain distinct species despite on-going hybridization

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Top Discoveries at the National Museum of Natural History in 2024

Fungus-farming ants, fossilized footprints and a prehistoric critter named after a Muppet are just a few of the year’s most notable findings

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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

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To Understand How Species Evolve, Scientists Flock to Where Charismatic Birds Intermingle

For decades, researchers have explored a region in Panama that serves as a “manakin melting pot”

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The Murder Mystery Linking a Bird Specimen at the National Museum of Natural History to the Mysterious Death of an Arctic Explorer

In 1871, a naturalist aboard the U.S.S. Polaris collected scientific specimens — and possibly poisoned the ship’s captain

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Across the Smithsonian, Researchers are Working Together to Save Virginia’s Birds

This National Virginia Day, learn how Smithsonian scientists are using historic collections and current conservation practices to bring back declining populations of grassland birds

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Tiny Tornado Chasers: Why Rare Songbirds Rely on Destructive Winds

A new Smithsonian paper posits that Swainson’s warblers have tornadoes to thank for ideal habitats

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Celebrate Cellphones, Birds and Old Jazz Favorites at the National Museum of Natural History this May and June

Kick off your summer with events spotlighting creatures that soar through the sky and swim through the ocean

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When the Moon Obscures the Sun, How Does Life on Earth Respond?

From fish to flamingos, here’s what scientists know — and what they hope to find out — about how plants and animals react to a total solar eclipse

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How A 190-Year-Old Shorebird Preserves Darwin’s Legacy

In honor of Charles Darwin’s 215th birthday, meet the only original Darwin specimen in North America

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Celebrate the Holiday Season with the Museum’s Stunning Collection of Blue Specimens

Learn how this rare hue shows up in the natural world with some of the Smithsonian’s bluest specimens

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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

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How Lugging a Liquid Nitrogen Tank into the Amazon Helped Spark Ornithology’s Genetic Revolution

Almost 40 years ago, Smithsonian zoologist Gary Graves collected tissue samples in the jungle that formed the nucleus of the museum’s DNA collection

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Turning Off Your Lights Could Save Millions of Birds Each Year from Deadly Building Collisions

Artificial lights wash out the stars that guide bird migrations, luring them into a maze of treacherous obstacles and highlighting the need to preserve the dark night sky

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Peer Through the Glare to Glimpse the Night Sky in New Smithsonian Exhibition

‘Lights Out’ explores how ecology and culture revolve around the night and how light pollution is threatening this essential darkness

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In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt Won a Presidential Election…And a Pair of Ostriches

For President’s Day, learn the story behind the giant birds sent to Washington to celebrate Roosevelt’s reelection

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