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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
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With 126 million objects, over 1,000 staff, and 7 million visitors annually, the Museum still runs like clockwork because of the dedicated employees who work behind the scenes. As we move into our next 100 years, the Museum and all of the activities behind our doors will be evolving to meet the challenges, demands, and new opportunities in the next century.

The Museum building is being modernized with new infrastructure improvements to keep pace with the latest technological advances. Our science staff are using cutting edge new equipment and technologies to study objects and specimens from macro to micro. Our exhibitions, outreach, and programming will be continually changing to provide current science education to our visitors.

Photo by James DiLoreto, Smithsonian Institution
Photo by James DiLoreto, Smithsonian Institution
In 2001, the original slate tiles on the Museum’s dome had to be replaced. Work on the Museum’s 222,943-square-foot (20,712 square meters) roof (that’s almost 4 football fields!) goes on continuously. When the last section has been repaired, it is time to renovate the first part again.
Photo by James DiLoreto, Smithsonian Institution
Photo by James DiLoreto, Smithsonian Institution
A young visitor photographing an elusive butterfly with her cell phone in the Butterfly Pavilion, 2009.

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