National Museum of Natural History ranks as one of the world’s major centers for the study of the natural sciences. The museum consists of the United States government’s collections of items relating to human beings, the earth and its environment, and outer space. In addition, the museum carries on educational and research work. It is in Washington, D.C.
Research conducted at the museum contributes to the advancement of medical knowledge, agricultural and mineral production, and environmental conservation. The museum houses exhibits on such subjects as the native cultures of the Americas, the Pacific, Africa, and Asia; the evolution of human beings; dinosaurs and other fossils; and the ice age. The museum also has displays of gems and minerals, moon rocks, meteorites, mammals, birds, and marine life. Special features at the museum include a live insect zoo, a living coral reef, a naturalist center, and a “discovery room” where people of all ages can handle natural history specimens.
The museum is a branch of the Smithsonian Institution, which was founded in 1846. The American naturalist Spencer F. Baird began to develop the natural history collections during the 1850’s. The National Museum of Natural History is supported largely by annual grants from Congress.
