National Museum of Natural History Washington DC

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Location: National Mall, 10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History houses a collection of over 124 million specimens and artifacts. Their mission is to seek an understanding of the natural world and our place within it. The Museum's area is approximately 750,000 square feet, including a basement, three main exhibition levels, two office-collection levels, and a mechanical penthouse on the roof. The space includes workshops, laboratories, offices, libraries, archives, and other support areas along with an auditorium, a bookstore, gift shops, public and staff cafeterias, an ice cream parlor, and a working post office.

The building's location on the National Mall qualifies it as a category I National Historic Landmark. It is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places because of its location and because it was one of the last structures designed by the renowned architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. In October 1980, the Museum's name was changed to the National Museum of American History to better represent its basic mission--the collection, care, and study of objects that reflect the experience of the American people.