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100-720: More than 54 million collections items are housed at the MSC. This comprises approximately 40 percent of the Smithsonian's collection which is not on display, while the rest of the objects are housed behind-the-scenes in the museums themselves or at other off-site storage facilities. The collections are housed in five numbered buildings, called "Pods," each about the size of a 3-story-tall football field. The pods total 435,000 square feet of collections storage space. Notable features include "enormous tanks for cleaning whale skulls, chambers to preserve Antarctic meteorites, art from throughout

200-641: A Tyrannosaurus rex cast facing a Triceratops cast. This Triceratops exhibit shows the first accurate dinosaur skeleton in virtual motion, achieved through the use of scanning and digital technology." The collection consists of 46 "complete and important specimens" of dinosaurs. In May 2012, billionaire David H. Koch donated $ 35 million toward the cost of a $ 45 million upgrade to the 30-year-old, 25,000 square feet (2,300 m ) dinosaur hall. The hall closed in April 2014 and reopened in June 2019. In June 2013,

300-537: A traffic circle around the Lincoln Memorial to accommodate the bridge, B Street approach, parkway approach, and Ohio Drive SW approach. The AMBC was dissatisfied with Kendall's design, however, and ordered a major restudy of the B Street connection in December 1926. In May 1927, Kendall presented a revised design for the B Street approach to the Lincoln Memorial traffic circle. The NCPC, concerned with

400-457: A difficult decision about how to link the two sections of Constitution Avenue NW between 3rd and 6th Streets NW remained. Pennsylvania Avenue NW cut diagonally northwest-to-southeast through these three city blocks, and it was not readily apparent how to handle the crossing so that Constitution Avenue traffic could turn right and left from either direction. The section of the roadway between 6th and 14th Streets NW also remained to be widened. But with

500-557: A major tidal estuary known as Tiber Creek flowed roughly from 6th Street NW to the shore of the river just south of the White House . In Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's original plan for the city in 1791, B Street NW began at 6th Street NW, and ended at the river's edge at 15th Street NW. Its eastern segment, which was unimpeded by any water obstacles, ran straight to the Eastern Branch River, now known as

600-646: A marine science center in Ft. Pierce, Florida and field stations in Belize, Alaska, and Kenya. The museum is estimated to hold more than 5000 Native American remains that have not been repatriated. Some of these may belong to the Seminole Tribe of Florida . One collection of nearly a million specimens of birds, reptiles, and mammals kept at the museum has been maintained by the Biological Survey unit of

700-554: A memo drafted by Samper shortly after October 15, 2005, in which Samper said the museum should not "replicate" work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . A few weeks later, a NOAA climate researcher advised a superior that the delay was due to "the debate within the administration and the science community over the existence and cause of global warming". During the delay, Samper asked high-level officials in other government agencies and departments to review

800-512: A month later the Sant family donated another $ 10 million to endow the director's position. On July 25, 2012, Kirk Johnson , vice president of research and collections at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science , was named Samper's successor effective October 29, 2012. By 2013, as Sant Director, Johnson oversaw a museum with 460 employees and a $ 68 million budget. A four-year strategic plan

900-538: A new building on June 28, 1902. On January 29, 1903, a special committee composed of members of Congress and representatives from the Smithsonian's board of regents published a report asking Congress to fund a much larger structure than originally planned. The regents began considering sites for the new building in March, and by April 12 settled on a site on the north side of B Street NW between 9th and 12th Streets. The D.C. architectural firm of Hornblower & Marshall

1000-653: A paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History, was appointed interim director in June 2002. In January 2003, the Smithsonian announced that Cristián Samper , a Colombian with an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Harvard University , would become the museum's permanent director on March 31, 2003. Samper (who holds dual citizenship with Colombia and the United States) founded the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute and ran

1100-403: A range of shared historical memories which connected Koreans at home and abroad. Personal stories of modern Koreans, as told in their own voices, provide a context to discuss some of the many issues that face the divided country today. Korea's incredible transformation from 'The Hermit Kingdom' to a world power is traced through its impact on the arts, the economy and popular culture. The exhibit

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1200-622: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History ( NMNH ) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution , located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. , United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. With 4.4 million visitors in 2023, it was the third most-visited museum in

1300-603: Is better known today as the Smithsonian Castle. A formal exhibit hall opened in 1858. The growing collection led to the construction of a new building, the National Museum Building (known today as the Arts and Industries Building ). Covering a then-enormous 2.25 acres (9,100 m ), it was built in just 15 months at a cost of $ 310,000. It opened in March 1881. Congress authorized construction of

1400-478: Is bounded by Louisiana Avenue NW, Columbus Circle , 1st Street NE, and Constitution Avenue NE/NW, was home to several dilapidated office buildings and hotels. But beginning in 1910, Congress started to acquire entire city blocks in this area, with the intent of building an underground parking garage and creating a park between the Capitol and Washington Union Station , which opened in 1908. The question confronting

1500-564: Is the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge ; thus, Constitution Avenue connects the city's ceremonial core with Interstate 66 . The eastern terminus is at 21st Street NE, just west of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium . Through traffic is diverted via North Carolina Avenue NE and C Street NE to the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge . Between Louisiana Avenue and Interstate 66, Constitution Avenue is part of

1600-590: The " Homo " genus name. One species that can be found in this gallery is the Homo heidelbergensis , which lived 200,000–700,000 years ago. In addition, there is a female skull from Homo floresiensis , a human species that possibly only went extinct just 17,000 years ago. The exhibit includes an interactive human family tree that follows six million years of evolution, and a "Changing the World" gallery that focuses on issues surrounding climate change and humans' impact on

1700-641: The 2013 federal government shutdown , the fossil did not arrive in Washington, D.C. Smithsonian officials said it remained in storage in Montana, and would not arrive at the Smithsonian until late spring 2014. Packed up in 16 crates, the T. rex , named "Nation's T. rex" by the Smithsonian, traveled from the Museum of the Rockies and arrived at the National Museum of Natural History on April 15, 2014. The T. rex

1800-536: The Anacostia River . Along its entire length, B Street was 60 feet (18 m) wide. L'Enfant proposed turning Tiber Creek into a canal. His plan included cutting a new canal south across the western side of the United States Capitol grounds and converting James Creek , which ran from the Capitol south-southwest through the city, into the canal's southern leg. The Washington Canal Company

1900-505: The Department of Commerce , Department of Justice , Environmental Protection Agency , Federal Trade Commission , Internal Revenue Service , and National Archives . The Embassy of Canada and John Marshall Park are located further east of Federal Triangle. Once past Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse , George Gordon Meade Memorial , and Department of Labor headquarters, and Senate Park border

2000-674: The Department of the Interior , and the Organization of American States . The Ellipse , part of the grounds of the President's Park (which includes the White House), also borders the north side of Constitution Avenue NW and forms the boundary between the western and eastern segments of this part of the street. To the east on the north side is Federal Triangle , which contains the headquarters of many federal agencies. These include

2100-724: The Great Depression worsening, highway construction funds were minimal. Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as President of the United States in March 1933. Convinced that massive federal spending on public works was essential not only to "prime the pump" of the economy but also to cut unemployment, Roosevelt proposed passage of the National Industrial Recovery Act . The act contained $ 6 billion in public works spending, which included $ 400 million for road, bridge, and highway construction. With

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2200-515: The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana (which helped excavate the fossil). The "Wankel rex" (whose skeleton is 85 percent complete) was to be unveiled at the Museum of Natural History on National Fossil Day, October 16, 2013, and was supposed to be on display until the dinosaur hall exhibit closed for renovation in the spring of 2014. The 35-foot (11 m) long skeleton is the centerpiece of

2300-532: The National Highway System . Sections of Constitution Avenue are designated U.S. Route 1 , U.S. Route 50 , or both. Specifically, U.S. 50 runs along the road from its west end to 6th Street NW (eastbound) and 9th Street NW (westbound). U.S. 1 northbound uses the eastbound lanes of Constitution Avenue NW from 14th Street NW to 6th Street NW; southbound U.S. 1 used to run west from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW but now continues straight through

2400-697: The National Museum of African American History and Culture (under construction as of 2013), the National Museum of American History , the National Museum of Natural History , National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden , and the National Gallery of Art . Once past the National Gallery of Art, the ground of the United States Capitol borders the south side of the avenue. The north side of Constitution Avenue NE features

2500-620: The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute after 2001. Smithsonian officials said Samper's administrative experience proved critical in his appointment. Under Samper's direction, the museum opened the $ 100 million Behring Hall of Mammals in November 2003, received $ 60 million in 2004 for the Sant Hall of Oceans, and received a $ 1 million gift from Tiffany & Co. for the purchase of precious gems for

2600-635: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 1921, Harding began pushing Congress to move on constructing a new bridge. Congress approved funding for design work on June 12, 1922, and authorized construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge on February 24, 1925. The 1925 legislation specified that B Street NW be treated as a major approach to Arlington Memorial Bridge. Several design problems presented themselves. The first

2700-502: The U.S. Geological Survey . This division had started in 1885 as an economic ornithology unit of the Agriculture Department. Clarence Birdseye and Clinton Hart Merriam had worked in this organization. As of February 2018, the unit's funding is planned to be cut, and it is not clear what would happen to the collection. The National Gem and Mineral Collection is one of the most significant collections of its kind in

2800-549: The United States Capitol to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge . Its eastern half runs through the neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and Kingman Park before it terminates at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium . Many federal departmental headquarters, memorials, and museums line Constitution Avenue's western segment. When the District of Columbia was founded in 1790, the Potomac River was much wider than it currently is, and

2900-598: The "wet collections." The environment within the MSC is strictly controlled in order to minimize impact on collections, and is based on research by engineers at the Museum Conservation Institute (located at the MSC) and the Smithsonian's Office of Facilities, Engineering and Operations. The target temperature is generally set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (+/- 4 degrees), with relative humidity at 45 percent (+/- 8 percent). In its laboratory and office areas,

3000-432: The 1860s. In 1871, Congress abolished the elected mayor and bicameral legislature of the District of Columbia, and established a territorial government . Territorial government only lasted until 1874, when Congress imposed an appointed three-member commission on the city. During this period, the D.C. Board of Public Works enclosed the canal and turned it into a sewer. B Street NW from 15th Street to Virginia Avenue NW

3100-678: The 2 million cultural artifacts, 400,000 are photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives . Through off-site active loan and exchange programs, the museum's collections can be accessed. As a result, 3.5 million specimens are out on loan every year. The rest of the collections not on display are stored in the non-public research areas of the museum and at the Museum Support Center , located in Suitland, Maryland. Other facilities include

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3200-688: The 9th Street Tunnel to I-395 . Many important buildings and attractions border Constitution Avenue NW. In the west are several independent federal agencies and institutes, as well as the headquarters of several significant associations. These buildings include the United States Institute of Peace Headquarters , the American Institute of Pharmacy , the National Academy of Sciences , the Federal Reserve ,

3300-539: The AMBC and NCPC was whether B Street should continue east through this area to connect with B Street NE or end at Pennsylvania Avenue NW. To help plan and develop this area, on April 6, 1928, Congress enacted legislation establishing the Capitol Plaza Commission. On April 19, the Capitol Plaza Commission issued its first preliminary plan for Senate Park. This plan assumed B Street would extend through

3400-444: The AMBC budget to the city coffers for this construction. The city came up with another $ 82,100 to finance its portion of the costs. As part of the funding agreement, the city said it would build only a 72-foot (22 m) wide street between North Capitol Street and 1st Street NW, an 80-foot (24 m) wide street between 1st and 2nd Streets NW, and an 80-foot (24 m) wide street between Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 6th Street NW. But

3500-644: The Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission (AMBC), whose purpose was to design and build a bridge somewhere in West Potomac Park that would link the city to Arlington National Cemetery . But Congress appropriated no money for the design or construction due to the onset of World War I. But after President Warren G. Harding was trapped in a three-hour traffic jam on the Highway Bridge while on his way to dedicate

3600-610: The Bush administration". The changes were discussed as early as mid-August 2005, and Dr. Waleed Abdalati , manager of NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Program, noted at the time that "There was some discussion of the political sensitivities of the exhibit." Although the exhibit was due to open in October 2005, the Post reported that Samper ordered a six-month delay to allow for even further changes. The newspaper also reported that it had obtained

3700-855: The MSC houses the Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), the Laboratories of Analytical Biology (LAB) and other numerous departments from the National Museum of Natural History , including the Department of Anthropology, the National Anthropological Archives (NAA), the Human Studies Film Archives (HSFA), the Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), as well as branch of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries . This Smithsonian Institution article

3800-561: The Museum of Natural History on March 29. In May 2007, Robert Sullivan, the former associate director in charge of exhibitions at the National Museum of Natural History, charged that Samper and Smithsonian Undersecretary for Science David Evans (Samper's supervisor) ordered "last minute" changes in the exhibit "Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely" to tone down the role of human beings in the discussion of global warming , and to make global warming seem more uncertain than originally depicted. Samper denied that he knew of any scientific objections to

3900-501: The Museum of Natural History. Some of the most important donors, besides Hooker, are Washington Roebling , the man who built the Brooklyn Bridge , who gave 16,000 specimens to the collection; Frederick A. Canfield , who donated 9,000 specimens to the collection; and Isaac Lea , who donated the basis of the museum's collection of 1312 gems and minerals. The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins opened on March 17, 2010, marking

4000-739: The NCPC and the Office of the Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury (which was overseeing the construction of the Federal Triangle office complex on the north side of B Street between 6th and 15th Streets NW). The NCPC agreed in February 1927 that B Street should extend to Pennsylvania Avenue NW and was studying whether to extend it through the proposed Senate Park. Architect William Mitchell Kendall proposed creating

4100-619: The National Gem Collection. On March 25, 2007, Lawrence M. Small , Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and the organization's highest-ranking appointed official, resigned abruptly after public reports of lavish spending. On March 27, 2007, Samper was appointed Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian. Paul G. Risser , former chancellor of the University of Oklahoma , was named acting director of

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4200-469: The National Museum of Natural History had 11 permanent and acting directors. The directors included: Richard S. Fiske (1980-1985); James C. Tyler (acting, 1985 and 1988); and Robert S. Hoffmann (1985-1988). Frank Talbot , ichthyologist and former director of the Australian Museum and California Academy of Sciences , served as director from 1989 until 1994. He was the first (and as of 2024

4300-666: The Potomac River. It also said that the avenue should be no wider than 72 feet (22 m) from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to 3rd Street NW. As the nature of the B Street project became apparent, there were calls to rename the street. In early 1930, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives to rename the road L'Enfant Avenue. City officials opposed the name, however, advocating instead for Lincoln or Washington Avenue. Representative Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin subsequently introduced legislation in June 1930 to rename

4400-478: The Potomac would completely alleviate all traffic issues within 50 years, he said. By September 1927, the NCPC's vision for B Street had expanded. The agency saw B Street not just as a gateway but as one of the city's great parade avenues, similar to Pennsylvania Avenue NW. B Street's renewal soon became caught up in the creation of Senate Park north of the United States Capitol building. This area, which today

4500-498: The Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents (which had final say on accepting the donation) questioned whether the donation was a conflict of interest . Before the board could consider the donation, the donor withdrew the offer. Risser resigned as acting director of the museum on January 22, 2008, in order to return to his position at the University of Oklahoma. No new acting director was named at that time. Six weeks later,

4600-615: The Smithsonian obtained a 50-year lease on a T. rex fossil skeleton owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers . It is the first T. rex skeleton to be displayed at the museum, which until now has only had the cast of a skull. The specimen, known as the "Wankel" or "Devil" rex , was found on Corps-owned land in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Montana in 1988. It has since been on display at

4700-589: The Smithsonian regents chose Georgia Tech president G. Wayne Clough as the new Secretary. Samper stepped down to return to his position as Director of the National Museum of Natural History. In June 2008, the Victoria and Roger Sant family donated $ 15 million to endow the new Ocean Hall at the museum. The museum celebrated the 50th anniversary of its acquisition of the Hope Diamond in August 2009 by giving

4800-573: The United States . Opened in 1910, the museum on the National Mall was one of the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to hold the national collections and research facilities. The main building has an overall area of 1.5 million square feet (140,000 m ) with 325,000 square feet (30,200 m ) of exhibition and public space and houses over 1,000 employees. The museum's collections contain over 146 million specimens of plants , animals , fossils , minerals , rocks , meteorites , human remains, and human cultural artifacts ,

4900-426: The act's passage moving forward swiftly, D.C. officials asked Congress on June 12 for the funds to finish widening Constitution Avenue NW. The act passed on June 13, 1933, and Roosevelt signed it into law on June 16. The Public Works Administration (PWA) was immediately established to disburse the funds appropriated by the act. The District of Columbia received a $ 1.9 million grant for road and bridge construction, and

5000-467: The ages, and a botany collection with five greenhouses." The MSC was dedicated in May 1983, after two years of construction and ten years of planning. It opened with the first four pods, plus offices, labs, and plans to expand into two additional pods. The fifth pod was dedicated in April 2007 at the east end of the MSC, and now houses all of the National Museum of Natural History 's biological collections (25 million specimens) preserved in fluids, known as

5100-402: The bridge. Additionally, three agencies had design approval for the bridge. The first was the AMBC, which was building it. The second was the National Capital Parks Commission (NCPC), which had statutory authority to approve federal transportation construction in the city. The third was the United States Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), which had to approve any memorial design. Since the bridge

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5200-404: The canal were almost dry. After the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad built Washington Branch into the city in 1835, competition from railroads left the canal economically unviable. Although the Washington City Canal remained in use after the coming of the railroad, by 1855, it had filled with silt and debris to the point where it was no longer functional. It remained in this condition throughout

5300-830: The center of the hall and a male displayed off to the side, an adult coelenterate , and a Basilosaurus . The museum also provides the Smithsonian Ocean Portal , a complementary web site that provides regularly updated, original content from the museum's research, collections, and Sant Ocean Hall as well as content provided by more than 20 collaborating organizations, including Archive, Census of Marine Life, Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Encyclopedia of Life, INDUCT, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, National Geographic, NOAA, New England Aquarium, Ocean Conservancy , Oceania, Pew Charitable Trusts, Sea Web, Save Our Seas, Scrips Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, World Heritage Marine Programmer. This exhibit and associated website "examines

5400-477: The changes, and said that no political pressure had been applied to the Smithsonian to make the changes. In November 2007, The Washington Post reported that an interagency group of scientists from the Department of the Interior , NASA , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Science Foundation believed that, despite Samper's denial, the museum "acted to avoid criticism from congressional appropriators and global-warming skeptics in

5500-449: The city began widening the entire roadway to 80 feet (24 m). In September 1933, the city received the first disbursement of revenue from the federal gasoline tax . This tax was imposed in the Revenue Act of June 1932. The city used $ 30,494 in PWA grant money and $ 45,741 in federal gas tax revenue to widen Constitution Avenue to the full width between North Capitol Street and 2d Street NW. This project, which occurred in conjunction with

5600-408: The city of Washington, D.C. , in the United States. It was originally known as B Street , and its western section was greatly lengthened and widened between 1925 and 1933. It received its current name on February 26, 1931, though it was almost named Jefferson Avenue in honor of Thomas Jefferson . Constitution Avenue's western half defines the northern border of the National Mall and extends from

5700-444: The city said on July 8 it would use a portion of these funds to finish Constitution Avenue. Construction on the $ 200,000 project was scheduled to begin at the end of August 1933 and employ 150 men. Part of the PWA grant included funds to complete John Marshall Park at the intersection of 4th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Along with the park's construction, the city finally linked the two ends of Constitution Avenue by turning

5800-503: The clearance of Upper Senate Park, began in late September 1933. City officials also asked the CFA to approve the widening of Constitution Avenue to the full width between Virginia Avenue NW and the Potomac River. The CFA quickly approved the project. Paving of the fully widened street began in October 1933 and continued in November. In December, the avenue neared completion with the installation of traffic lights between 6th and 15th Streets NW. The western terminus of Constitution Avenue

5900-435: The dinosaur hall since it re-opened in 2019. The Museum of the Rockies (which did not own the skeleton but was the repository for it) has about a dozen T. rex specimens, including one which is eighty percent complete. Only about six museums in the United States have a T. rex skeleton. The Museum of the Rockies is a Smithsonian affiliate museum, and had long promised to find a T. rex for the Smithsonian to display. Due to

6000-433: The diversity, dynamism, and global influence of Africa's peoples and cultures over time in the realms of family, work, community, and the natural environment." The Butterflies + Plants is a live butterfly pavilion which allows "visitors to observe the many ways in which butterflies and other animals have evolved, adapted, and diversified together with their plant partners over tens of millions of years." The exhibit

6100-499: The end of June 1930. The city proposed a budget to Congress in May 1930 that included funds to widen B Street NW between 14th and 17th Streets NW. The federal government should pay for 40 percent of the cost of this three-block widening, the city said. When this legislation did not pass during the second session of the 71st Congress, the city proposed in December 1930 a similar funding formula but asked to widen B Street from 14th Street NW to Virginia Avenue. This time, Congress approved

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6200-434: The exhibit displayed a scientific certainty that did not exist, and expressed his belief that the museum should present evidence on both sides and let the public make up its own mind. The issue became more heated after the press reported that Samper gave permission for the museum to accept a $ 5 million donation from American Petroleum Institute that would support the museum's soon-to-be-opened Hall of Oceans. Two members of

6300-415: The gemstone its own exhibit and a new setting. In March 2010, the museum opened its $ 21 million human evolution hall. In January 2012, Samper said he was stepping down from the National Museum of Natural History to become president and chief executive officer of the Wildlife Conservation Society . Two months later, the museum announced it had received a $ 35 million gift to renovate its dinosaur hall, and

6400-432: The grandeur of the planned avenue. The commission agreed that B Street should be extended eastward at least to 3rd Street NW and that building setbacks should be a minimum of 55 feet (17 m) along the avenue. But the width of the avenue remained in dispute. Tentatively, the NCPC approved a width of 80 feet (24 m) between Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Virginia Avenue NW, and 72 feet (22 m) from Virginia Avenue NW to

6500-402: The impending construction of Federal Triangle, worried that a traffic circle would not only fail to accommodate the expected increase in traffic volume but also impair the dignity of the memorial as large numbers of fast-moving automobiles whizzed around it. CFA members disagreed. For example, CFA member James Leal Greenleaf argued that the traffic issue was a red herring; future new bridges over

6600-407: The land near the White House and along Pennsylvania Avenue NW by nearly 6 feet (1.8 m) to form a kind of levee . This "reclaimed land" — which today includes West Potomac Park , East Potomac Park , the Tidal Basin — was largely complete by 1890 and designated Potomac Park by Congress in 1897. Congress first appropriated money for the beautification of the reclaimed land in 1902, which led to

6700-537: The largest collection of vertebrate specimens in the world, nearly twice the size of the next largest mammal collections, including historically important collections from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its collection was initiated by C. Hart Merriam and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (later the Department of the Interior ), which expanded it in the 1890s-1930s. The O. Orkin Insect Zoo features live insects and exhibits about insects and entomologists . Different habitats have been created to show

6800-409: The largest natural history collection in the world. It is also home to about 185 professional natural history scientists —the largest group of scientists dedicated to the study of natural and cultural history in the world. The United States National Museum was founded in 1846 as part of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum was initially housed in the Smithsonian Institution Building , which

6900-460: The legislation. Widening of what was now called Constitution Avenue NW began at the end of February 1931, with the city finalizing its engineering plans. The city commissioners ordered the $ 168,500 widening project to begin on May 13, 1931. A small memorial column, marking the point at which water reached inland during the terrible 1889 Potomac River flood, was moved because of the street widening. The CFA, meanwhile, began to study ways to harmonize

7000-403: The museum's 100th anniversary. The hall is named for David H. Koch , who contributed $ 15 million to the $ 20.7 million exhibit. The Hall is "dedicated to the discovery and understanding of human origins," and occupies 15,000 square feet (1,400 m ) of exhibit space. This exhibit includes 76 humans skulls, each of a different species, eons apart. Each of these species is a human, signified by

7100-426: The north side of the avenue. On its south side, Constitution Avenue NW is bordered by several monuments and museums. These include the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial , Constitution Gardens , and the grounds of the Washington Monument . The relocated U.S. Capitol Gatehouses and Gateposts are at Constitution Avenue NW and 15th Street NW. East of the grounds of the Washington Monument are several museums:

7200-439: The only) Australian to ever be appointed to this role. Two acting directors (Donald J. Ortner, 1994-1996, and David L. Pawson in 1996) served before Robert W. Fri was named the museum's director in 1996. One of the largest donations in Smithsonian history was made during Fri's tenure. Kenneth E. Behring donated $ 20 million in 1997 to modernize the museum. Fri resigned in 2001 after disagreeing with Smithsonian leadership over

7300-487: The over 80 million specimens in the museum's total collection, the largest in the world. The hall is named for the Roger Sant family, who donated $ 15 million to endow the new hall and other related programs. The collection includes: a North Atlantic right whale , a giant Lion's mane jellyfish model, a 1,500-US-gallon (5,700 L) aquarium containing live marine fish and corals, one female giant squid displayed in

7400-411: The park. In February 1929, the D.C. Department of Roads and Highways finalized its engineering plans to widen B Street NW from 26th Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW. But these plans needed approval of the NCPC as well as funding from Congress. The NCPC discussed the street widening at its March 9 meeting. It made a site visit along the roadway to see how different widths would affect the vista and

7500-495: The past by highlighting enduring features of Korean culture which have influence and resonance today. The exhibit used the Smithsonian ceramics collection as well as a rich selection of photographs, ritual objects and traditional Korean carpentry to communicate and connect to both the local Korean community and an international audience. Traditional art forms, such as ceramics and calligraphy, along with mythological figures, language, large feature photographs and illustrations spoke to

7600-423: The planting of sod, bushes, and trees; grading and paving of sidewalks, bridle paths, and driveways; and the installation of water, drainage, and sewage pipes. B Street NW extended through the newly created West Potomac Park between Virginia Avenue NW and 23rd Street NW. However, since this area was considered parkland, the street narrowed to just 40-foot (12 m) in width. On March 4, 1913, Congress created

7700-402: The reorganization of the museum's scientific research programs. J. Dennis O'Connor , provost of the Smithsonian Institution (where he oversaw all science and research programs) was named acting director of the museum on July 25, 2001. Eight months later, O'Conner resigned to become the vice president of research and dean of the graduate school at the University of Maryland . Douglas Erwin ,

7800-608: The script for the exhibit, ordered his museum staff to make additional changes, and rearranged the sequence of the exhibit panels so that the discussion of climate change was not immediately encountered by museum visitors. Shortly before the exhibit opened in April 2006, officials at NOAA and the United States Department of Commerce expressed to their superiors their opinion that the exhibit had been changed to accommodate political concerns. In an interview with The Washington Post in November 2007, Samper said he felt

7900-433: The significance of human-caused global warming . The exhibit also provides a complementary web site, which provides diaries and podcasts directly from related fields of research. The companion book, What Does It Mean To Be Human , was written by Richard (Rick) Potts , the curator, and Christopher Sloan. The exhibit was designed by Reich + Petch. The Hall of Dinosaurs has fossilized skeletons and cast models, including

8000-407: The south curb south by 20 feet (6.1 m) and the north curb north by 12 feet (3.7 m). However, once the street went past Virginia Avenue NW, the NCPC determined that the north curb should not be moved. In September 1926, the NCPC approved widening B Street to 80 feet (24 m) between 6th and 15th Streets NW (by moving the south curb south). This decision was reaffirmed by a joint meeting of

8100-473: The street Constitution Avenue. This proposal met with strong approval from the city. Although the House initially rejected the name, the legislation passed both the House and Senate in the second session of the 71st United States Congress . President Herbert Hoover signed the legislation into law on February 25, 1931. The Corps of Engineers realized in the spring of 1930 that no provision had been made for

8200-417: The terminus of B Street. Because this was merely a matter of adding a small traffic circle on the Potomac shoreline and creating a small terrace there, cost-savings elsewhere could provide the funding for the terminus without requiring additional authorization or appropriation from Congress. The Corps contracted North Carolina Granite Co. to provide granite for this terrace. Nearly all this granite had arrived by

8300-607: The treatment of Constitution Avenue NW, the Lincoln Memorial Grounds, and the Arlington Memorial Bridge. By March 1932, additional funding to complete the widening of Constitution Avenue NW and extend it through Senate Park was still needed. But the House of Representatives declined to approve funding in April 1932. Funding for this part of the project did not come through until December 1932, when Congress ordered $ 55,200 transferred from

8400-401: The type of insects that live in different environments and how they have adapted to a freshwater pond , house, mangrove swamp , desert , and rain forest . The zoo is sponsored by Orkin , a pest control company. The Sant Ocean Hall opened on September 27, 2008, and is the largest renovation of the museum since it opened in 1910. The hall includes 674 marine specimens and models drawn from

8500-528: The western section slightly northward and the eastern section slightly southward. The one-block section of Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 4th and 5th Streets was renamed Constitution Avenue (leaving Pennsylvania Avenue no longer contiguous). To control these two intersections, 10 traffic signals (some of the first to be installed in downtown D.C.) were placed at these intersections. The intersection opened on August 17, 1933. The lack of uniform width along Constitution Avenue proved problematic. With little fanfare,

8600-458: The western world including northern Iraq, ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and the recent discovery of the Iceman , a Copper Age mummy found in an Italian glacier ." This exhibit was closed on September 26, 2010. The Korea Gallery was a special showcase to celebrate Korean traditions and examine its unique influence and complex role in the world today. The exhibit expressed the continuity of

8700-581: The world. The Hall's core concept idea is "What Does It Mean To Be Human", and focuses on milestones of human evolution such as walking upright , bigger brains, and symbolic thought. Also covered is the Smithsonian's significant research on the geological and climate changes which occurred in East Africa during significant periods of Human Evolution. The exhibit highlights an actual fossil Neanderthal and replicas created by famed paleoartist, John Gurche . The exhibit has been criticized for downplaying

8800-425: The world. The Smithsonian gives an approximate number for artifacts and specimens of 146 million. More specifically, the collections include 30 million insects, 4.5 million plants preserved in the Museum's herbarium, and 7 million fish stored in liquid-filled jars. The National Collection of Amphibians and Reptiles has more than tripled from 190,000 specimen records 1970 to over 580,000 specimen records in 2020. Of

8900-610: The world. The collection includes some of the most famous pieces of gems and minerals, including the Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia (one of the largest sapphires in the world), and the Carmen Lúcia Ruby, one of the largest and most valuable Burmese rubies in the world. The collection is displayed in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals, one of the many galleries in

9000-416: The world. There are currently over 15,000 individual gems in the collection, as well as 350,000 minerals and 300,000 samples of rock and ore specimens. Additionally, the Smithsonian's National Gem and Mineral Collection houses approximately 45,000 meteorite specimens, including examples of every known type of meteorite, and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in

9100-402: Was chosen to design the structure. Testing of the soil for the foundations was set for July 1903, with construction expected to take three years. The Natural History Building (as the National Museum of Natural History was originally known) opened its doors to the public on March 17, 1910, in order to provide the Smithsonian Institution with more space for collections and research. The building

9200-466: Was considered a memorial, it also had to pass CFA muster. In April 1924, the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission proposed extending B Street to the U.S. Capitol as part of the plan to turn the street into a major thoroughfare. The NCPC inspected B Street in June 1926, and in August, made a preliminary determination that the street should be widened to 72 feet (22 m) between the Potomac River and Virginia Avenue NW. This would be accomplished by moving

9300-497: Was constructed on top of it. Work began in October 1871 and was completed in December 1873. After terrible flooding inundated much of downtown Washington, D.C., in 1881, Congress ordered the United States Army Corps of Engineers to dredge a deep channel in the Potomac to lessen the chance of flooding. Congress also ordered that the dredged material be used to fill in what remained of the Tiber Creek estuary and build up much of

9400-665: Was designed by Reich + Petch. This exhibit displays a "variety of vertebrate skeletons grouped by their evolutionary relationships." Opened since 2013, this exhibit is the museum's interactive and educational area. Using microscopes and touch screens, the area hosts various interactive activities and puzzles visitors can experience and contains a "collection zone" that houses over 6000 different specimens and artifacts visitors are able personally handle. The area also hosts various events such as allowing visitors to meet and discuss with Smithsonian scientists and hosting school groups. "This hall explores some examples from various cultures in

9500-405: Was designed by Reich + Petch. This exhibit closed in 2017. In the lower level, there is a bird exhibit, Urban Bird Habitat Garden, with all the migratory and native birds to Washington, D.C. The Global Volcanism Program is housed in the department of Mineral Sciences. Constitution Avenue Constitution Avenue is a major east–west street in the northwest and northeast quadrants of

9600-708: Was displayed in the Rex Room, while specialists performed a conservation assessment and the Smithsonian Digitization Program scanned each bone, to create a 3-D model for research. The Nation's T. rex is the centerpiece of the new fossil hall, which opened in 2019. The Behring Hall of Mammals was designed by Reich + Petch. The mammal specimens are presented as works of modern art within minimal environmentals. Visitors discover mammal's evolutionary adaptions to hugely diverse contexts, and ultimately discover that they too are mammals. The museum has

9700-533: Was how to turn B Street NW into a ceremonial gateway. The second was how to link B Street NW with the bridge. This second problem was significant because the Lincoln Memorial stood at the northeastern terminus of the proposed bridge. Third, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway was being designed to terminate at the Lincoln Memorial as well. The parkway would also interact with the B Street approaches to

9800-418: Was incorporated in 1802, and after several false starts, substantial work began in 1810. The Washington City Canal began operation in 1815. The canal suffered from maintenance problems and economic competition almost immediately. Traffic on the canal was adversely affected by tidal forces, which the builders had not accounted for, which deposited large amounts of sediment in the canal. At low tide, portions of

9900-560: Was not fully completed until June 1911. The structure cost $ 3.5 million (about $ 85 million in inflation-adjusted 2012) dollars. The Neoclassical style building was the first structure constructed on the north side of the National Mall as part of the 1901 McMillan Commission plan. In addition to the Smithsonian's natural history collection, it also housed the American history, art, and cultural collections. Between 1981 and 2003,

10000-516: Was released in 2021. The museum's Mall building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023. Research in the museum is divided into seven departments: anthropology , botany , entomology , invertebrate zoology , mineral sciences , paleobiology , vertebrate zoology . The NMNH represents 90% of the Smithsonian Institution's collections and forms one of the largest, most comprehensive natural history collection in

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