Exhibitions

Titanoboa: Monster Snake

Location: Second Floor
March 30, 2012 - January 6, 2013

From a Colombian coal mine, scientists uncovered 65-million-year-old remains of the largest snake in the world. Measuring 48 feet long and weighing 2,500 pounds, this massive predator could crush and devour a crocodile! Fossil plants and animals found at the site reveal the earliest known rainforest—the lost world that followed the demise of the dinosaurs. Explore the a full-scale model of Titanoboa and video from the Smithsonian Channel documentary to delve into the discovery, reconstruction, and implications of this enormous reptile.

2012 Nature's Best Photography Awards

Location: Second Floor
March 30, 2012 - January 6, 2013

Wildlife, up close and personal! Meet rare endangered species, and see indigenous cultures living in some of the harshest climates on Earth. The 2012 Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards exhibit features over 40 photographs that bring nature to life. These stunning portraits of plants, animals, and people celebrate the beauty of nature while recognizing the importance of environmental stewardship.

X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out

Location: First Floor, Sant Ocean Hall, Ocean Focus Gallery
February 4, 2012 – August 5, 2012

Explore fish evolution and diversity through 40 stunning black-and-white fish x-rays prepared for research purposes by Sandra Raredon, Division of Fishes. The X-rays, each paired with a photograph of the preserved fish specimen and details of its collection, provide insight into the importance of radiography in the scientific study of fish without damaging the specimen.

The Beautiful Time

Location: African Voices Hall Focus Gallery
January 7, 2012 – January 6, 2013

Congolese photographer and videographer Sammy Baloji explores the time when the labor of hardworking Congolese built a flourishing copper mining industry in what is now the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Following independence in the 1960s, this industry suffered greatly under mismanagement by corrupt governments, and this "beautiful time" ended. Baloji's collages and photographs bring together images from the past and the present day to interrogate the meaning of memory.

Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt

Location: Second Floor
Exhibit: November 17, 2011 - Indefinite

This exhibit focuses on Egyptian burial ritual, its place with ancient Egyptian cosmology, and the insights that mummies, burial ritual, and cosmology provide about life in ancient Egypt. Understand how burial practices and associated religious beliefs serve as windows into world cultures. We invite our visitors to explore the ways in which mummies, tombs, and Egyptian mythology open new windows into the lives of ancient Egyptians as they navigated through the world of the living to achieve eternal life after death.

The Evolving Universe

Location: Second Floor
October 21, 2011 – July 7, 2013

Take a mind-bending journey with us from present-day Earth to the far reaches of space and the distant past—back to the beginning of the universe. Explore how stars and galaxies—even the universe itself—change from birth to maturity to death, much like living things on Earth. Full color photographs capture the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos as seen through high-powered terrestrial and orbiting telescopes. This exhibition is a collaborative effort with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

Against All Odds: Rescue at the Chilean Mine

Exhibit: August 5, 2011 – October 2012

Last fall, the world watched as rescuers in Chile ferried 33 miners to safety after nearly two months trapped in a collapsed mine. See an actual rescue capsule in a special temporary exhibit featuring the complex rescue effort and the miners’ story. New video footage, mementos from the miners, and rock samples from the mine help take you to the scene of this dramatic event.

More Than Meets the Eye

Location: First Floor, Special Exhibits Gallery
Exhibit: July 23, 2011 – November 4, 2012

You can learn quite a bit about the world by simply observing your surroundings carefully. But scientists at the National Museum of Natural History rely on special tools, skills, and technologies to examine the world’s diversity of life and culture up close and in much greater detail. Explore the world alongside our scientists as they use their super-powered vision to observe, document, and analyze the natural world and global cultures.

Race: Are We So Different?

Location: Second Floor
Exhibit: June 18, 2011 – January 8, 2012

Race is a short word with a long history in America. What is race and how are we affected by it every day? Race: Are We So Different? explores the concept of race from scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives. The exhibition offers a powerful look at race and racism, and challenges visitors to ask questions, think critically, and talk about the issue and their own experiences.

Developed by the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota

Exhibit Case: Scarlet Knight

Location: First Floor, Sant Ocean Hall
One Exhibit Case: December 9, 2010 - Indefinite

This case documents the journey of the autonomous underwater vehicle glider RU27, Scarlet Knight, which followed Christopher Columbus’ path as he returned to Spain from New Jersey. An 8-foot AUV that glides through the sea, the Scarlet Knight made history as the first submersible robot to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The Hope Diamond

Exhibit: Permanent. In temporary setting through January 11, 2012

The Harry Winston Gallery, featuring the Hope Diamond, is now on display in its new temporary setting, “Embracing Hope”, voted online as the favorite setting. The Hope Diamond is on display in its dazzling new setting through November 18, 2011.

To learn more, visit the Smithsonian Channel's website for the documentary, “Mystery of the Hope Diamond”.

Exhibit Case: Dinosaurs in Our Backyard

Location: First Floor, Fossil Halls
One Exhibit Case: April 28, 2010 - Indefinite

From 225 to 65 million years ago, dinosaurs lived everywhere on Earth—including around Washington, D.C.  This case explores how scientists piece together information about dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution from fossil specimens, and the important contributions amateur collectors make to the Museum’s collections and knowledge. Visitors can see a unique skeleton impression of a baby dinosaur of a species new to science.

The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins

Location: First Floor
Exhibit: Permanent

Based on decades of cutting-edge research by Smithsonian scientists, the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins will tell the epic story of human evolution and how humans evolved over six million years in response to a changing world. Following the process of scientific discovery, visitors will explore the evidence for human evolution, come face-to-face with unforgettable representations of early humans, and arrive at a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

The Sant Ocean Hall

Location: First Floor
Exhibit: Permanent

A one-of-a-kind interpretive exhibit, extraordinary in scale, the Sant Ocean Hall presents the global ocean from a cross-disciplinary perspective, highlighting the biological, geological, and anthropological expertise and unparalleled scientific collections of the Museum, as well as ongoing research in marine science. The ocean is intrinsically connected to other global systems and to our daily lives. Artist rendering of the Sant Ocean Hall

Dig It! The Secrets of Soil

A new virtual exhibit that journeys into the skin of the earth and explores the amazing world of soil. This web site is a virtual exploration of the Dig It! traveling exhibition now on display at the National Museum of Natural History. Completely familiar yet largely unknown, soils help sustain virtually every form of life on Earth. Dig It! transports visitors to the world of fungi, bacteria, worms, and countless other organisms. The online exhibit includes educational activities and teacher resources.