Based in Washington, D.C., this is the world’s largest museum and research complex. Administered by the United States Government, the Smithsonian Institution’s D.C. headquarters features 19 museums, 9 research centers, and an urban zoo spread throughout the city. The Smithsonian sees more than 30 million visitors each year, all admitted free of charge.
Eleven Smithsonian museums are located on the National Mall in Washington D.C., with the National Museum of Natural History being by far the most popular, with over 126 million specimens featuring plants, animals, minerals, fossils, meteorites, and historical artifacts. Highlights include a rare T. Rex skeleton and the Hope Diamond, a blue 45 carat bit of compressed carbon with a very long history.
The nearby National Air and Space Museum boasts the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft anywhere, housed in a 760 thousand square foot building, including a NASA space shuttle. The sprawling National Zoo is one of the oldest in the country, and is home to more than 1,800 resident animals. The Smithsonian Institution also maintains a huge collection of art, housed in 5 museums throughout the city.
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