Smithsonian Natural History Museum Guided Tour
From$95.4
2 hours
Washington DC, USA
About this activity
Experience a personalized 2-hour guided tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, featuring iconic exhibits like the Hope Diamond and the Hall of Human Origins.
Highlights
- Explore the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals
- Discover the Hall of Human Origins
- Marvel at the Hope Diamond
- Visit the Insect Zoo
- See the Giant Squid Exhibit
Full description
Dive into the wonders of the natural world with a 2-hour guided tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Led by an expert guide, you'll skip the lines and embark on a journey through iconic exhibits such as the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, the Hall of Human Origins, and the Insect Zoo. Marvel at the dazzling Hope Diamond and the fascinating Giant Squid Exhibit. This tour offers an engaging and informative experience, perfect for families, history buffs, and science enthusiasts alike. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore one of the world's most renowned museums in a fun and exciting way!
Included / Excluded
- Expert guide
- Skip-the-line entry
- Personalized tour experience
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Itinerary
1
Your guide will take you to visit the highlights of the collection, housed in a massive building that covers the area of 18 football fields. Gaze into the world-famous Hope Diamond, whose brilliant blue sparkle, and immodest size at 46 karats, captured the attention of former owner Marie Antoinette. Wander through the displays of gems and minerals, including the Dom Pedro Aquamarine, the world’s largest gem of its type, which glows brilliantly from within. Travel back in time to learn about death rituals while exploring real mummies from Ancient Egypt. Then step out of the past into the wild, exploring the mighty polar bears, elephants, and giraffes that roam across earth’s surface. From the land, jump into the sea at the Ocean Hall, where you’ll discover a live coral reef exhibit as well as a 45-ton whale, Phoenix, which is a replica of a real living what that the museum tracks. By the end, you’ll understand why so many people come to visit the 126.5 million artefacts housed at the National Museum of Natural History.
Duration: 2 hoursAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is wheelchair accessible.
- Stroller access is available for families with young children.
- Service animals are permitted inside the museum.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the museum is extensive.
- Photography is allowed, but flash is prohibited in certain exhibits.
- Food and drinks are not permitted inside the museum.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 1 days before the activity starts
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
- Notes: Natural History Museum and other attractions or museums in DC may be subjected to occasional closures without previous warning from the museum management. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an appropriate alternative if the museum opening time is delayed more than 1h from the tour starting time. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. No large bags or suitcases are allowed inside the museum, only handbags or small thin bag packs are allowed through security. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' or 'No Wait' access. Some specific rooms inside the museum are subjected to a very quiet or restricted right to speak inside, in this cases your guide will provide the information about this places before entering the specific rooms where this rule applies. Some collections may vary along the year.
Traveler reviews
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This museum is best seen with a knowledgable guide
This place is ENORMOUS! Without Brenda we would have wandered around for hours and not really seen much of anything. BUT with her we were able to see highlights of some VERY interesting exhibits and hear stories surrounding them that made the visit most enjoyable. I can't imagine visiting here, especially for the first time, without a guide to help steer you in the right direction. We are very grateful to have Brenda share some of her wealth of knowledge. WELL WORTH the price.
Martha_BMay 25, 2026VIATOR
Learned a lot!
Kate was wonderful & the tour was engrossing. Highly recommend it all.
katecB5225WCMay 4, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Smithsonian Natural History Museum
Maureen did a superb job presenting the highlights of the Natural History Museum! I would highly recommend this tour.
FrankMay 3, 2026VIATOR
excellent tour
Rebecca gave excellent informative tour which which coalesced the massive number of exhibits into a format of integrated presentations.Would highly recommend her tour.
Victoria_PApr 21, 2026VIATOR
Kid friendly tour
Very informative and tailored to the age of the group which in our case included two 9 year old granddaughters.
Doreen_LApr 14, 2026VIATOR
Additional information
It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
Notes: Natural History Museum and other attractions or museums in DC may be subjected to occasional closures without previous warning from the museum management. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an appropriate alternative if the museum opening time is delayed more than 1h from the tour starting time. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. No large bags or suitcases are allowed inside the museum, only handbags or small thin bag packs are allowed through security. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' or 'No Wait' access. Some specific rooms inside the museum are subjected to a very quiet or restricted right to speak inside, in this cases your guide will provide the information about this places before entering the specific rooms where this rule applies. Some collections may vary along the year.