With the power of the Smithsonian Institute, one of the world’s pre-eminent research institutions, behind it, the Museum of Natural History awes and inspires visitors, both young and old. The collection ranges in topics from anthropology, botany, entomology (bugs), botany, invertebrate zoology and mineral sciences to paleobiology and vertebrate zoology (birds, fishes, mammals, reptiles and amphibians). Greeted in the grand rotunda entrance by a mammoth statue of a mastodon, you’ll continue to gaze in awe at dinosaur fossils, the Hope Diamond and tribal artifacts, among others, throughout the Natural History Museum. Kids will love the hands-on learning opportunities in the museum’s discovery room, where they can interact with actual museum objects and participate in interactive learning activities. With its extensive collection, IMAX theater, Friday evening jazz performances, and frequent lecture series, the Natural History Museum has become a destination not to be missed.