The National Museum of Natural History

While staying at the Westin Arlington Gateway we decided to make a visit to the National Mall and some of the National Museums.

For our last museum of the day we choose  to tour the National Museum of Natural History.

National Museum of Natural History
10th Street and Constutution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
United States

We began our tour in the Kenneth E Behring Family Rotunda.  In the center was a large mounted Elephant standing in the grasslands of Africa.

Next we visited the dinosaur skeletons on the ground floor and they were awesome in there size.

 I also discovered I am as tall as an elephant

Among the gems we saw were the famous Hope Diamond

as well as a live coral reef, we also toured the walk-through mine and the insect zoo with thousands of live specimens.

My favorite part though was the Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution Exhibit.

Here we discover how natural selection has shaped animals and plants together through their ancient and persistent dependencies, and defenses with one another.

Then we took a stroll among live butterflies and exotic plants!  This tropical oasis offers us a rare opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from all over the world.