Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History

What Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History does

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), founded in 1910 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a federal trust instrumentality and the world's most-visited natural history museum, operating free of charge seven days a week. It houses approximately 148 million specimens and artifacts - the largest natural history collection in the world, representing roughly 90% of the Smithsonian Institution's total holdings - including the Hope Diamond, 700+ fossil specimens in the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time, the Sant Ocean Hall, the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, the Hall of Human Origins, and the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals. The museum supports a research community of 450+ scientists, the Laboratories of Analytical Biology, a Biorepository with cryogenic storage, an Osteology Prep Lab, and a satellite Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida. Its technology stack centers on a Pinned Insect Digitization Conveyor capable of processing 325,000+ specimens, a 9+ million-record publicly searchable collections database, a virtual tour platform built on HTML5/JavaScript/krpano, and a mobile audio description app for accessibility.

NMNH's business model is non-commercial: free general admission is the entry point, while revenue is generated through federal appropriations from Congress, private donations and charitable contributions (including planned gifts and securities), memberships, event space rentals (20-2,000 guests in flagship halls), museum retail stores (Nature Store, Gem and Mineral Store, Gallery Store, etc.), and on-site dining (Ocean Terrace Café, Atrium Café). Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners (Esri, Amazon, Qualcomm, T-Mobile) and major philanthropic donors (Turner Foundation, Barbara and Craig Barrett) underwrites temporary exhibits. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via walk-in access, virtual tours, school and group programs, and a multi-channel content marketing footprint (blog, podcast, social, email, events). Customer segments are highly diversified: families and general public, K-12 students and educators, researchers and scientists, and corporate event renters, with no single anchor customer or revenue dependency.

Name

Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History

Legal name

Smithsonian Institution

Website

https://naturalhistory.si.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, a federal trust museum founded in 1910 on the National Mall in Washington D.C., operates free of charge and houses the world's largest natural history collection of 148 million specimens. It serves families, K-12 students, researchers, and event renters through permanent and temporary exhibits, research facilities, and digital channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Scientific research collections
• Public education programs
• Exhibit space rentals
• Museum gift retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: Primary funding from U.S. federal government through Smithsonian Institution appropriations. Supports core operations, collections, research, and public programming.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, memorial and tribute gifts, monthly giving programs, and planned gifts support education programs, exhibits, and research.
3. Event Space Rentals: Private event rentals of museum spaces including Rotunda, Ocean Hall, Fossil Hall, and other galleries for receptions up to 2,000 guests and seated dinners from 20 guests. Revenue supports museum mission.
4. Retail Operations: Museum gift shops (Nature Store, Gem and Mineral Store, Gallery Store, Family Store, Dinos and More Store, Natural History Express Kiosk) selling merchandise, books, and educational items.
5. Dining Services: On-site food service through Ocean Terrace Café and Atrium Café with restaurant and café offerings.
6. Memberships: Museum membership programs offering benefits to supporters at various levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History operates a free public museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., housing 148 million specimens and artifacts across permanent galleries (Fossils–Deep Time, Ocean Hall, Geology/Gems/Minerals, Human Origins, Mammals, Insect Zoo, Q?rius) and rotating temporary exhibits, complemented by K-12 educational programs, a searchable 9+ million record online collections database, virtual tours, private event rentals, and on-site retail and dining.

Product overview

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History operates as a unified museum offering with a core portfolio of permanent exhibit halls supplemented by rotating temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibits include major galleries such as the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time, Sant Ocean Hall, Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins, and Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals. The museum also maintains specialized spaces including the O. Orkin Insect Zoo and Q?rius science education center. Current temporary exhibits include Bison: Standing Strong (2026-2029), From These Lands (until 2029), Lights Out (until December 2026), and Cellphone: Unseen Connections (until June 2028). The museum supplements in-person visits with virtual tour offerings and maintains retail stores and dining services. Educational programming includes school programs for Grades K-12 and research collections access for scientists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time A permanent fossil exhibit featuring approximately 700 specimens including a T. rex fighting a Triceratops, a woolly mammoth, and ancient sea reptiles, showcasing 4.6 billion years of Earth's history and climate evolution for general public visitors, school groups, and researchers.
• Sant Ocean Hall A permanent ocean exhibit exploring marine life from shore to ocean floor, covering 3.8 billion years of ocean history through fossils, specimens, and interactive displays including two giant squids on display that are the only ones in the United States.
• Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals A permanent exhibit featuring gems, minerals, rocks, earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteorites, including the famous Hope Diamond donated by Harry Winston in 1958.
• David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins A permanent exhibit exploring human evolution through fossils, artifacts, and interactive displays tracing 6 million years of human ancestry.
• Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals A permanent exhibit showcasing mammal diversity with taxidermy specimens including big cats, primates, and other mammals from around the world.
• O. Orkin Insect Zoo A permanent exhibit featuring live insects where visitors can observe tarantula feedings and interact with various arthropods.
• Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center An interactive learning space for teens, tweens, and families featuring microscopes, handling of nearly 6,000 collection objects, and science puzzles.
• Bison: Standing Strong A temporary exhibit (2026-2029) exploring the history and conservation of American bison as the national mammal, featuring specimens, fossils, and Native cultural objects.
• From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage A temporary exhibit (until 2029) featuring over 600 specimens and cultural objects representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
• Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky A temporary exhibit (until December 2026) exploring light pollution's effects on wildlife and the importance of dark night skies.
• Cellphone: Unseen Connections A special exhibit (until June 2028) exploring the materials, labor, and environmental impacts of cellphones and their connection to the natural world.
• Virtual Tours Online virtual tours of museum exhibits including the Deep Time Fossil Hall, Cellphone exhibit, and past exhibits, accessible globally from desktop or mobile devices using HTML5, JavaScript, and krpano graphics for 3D views and navigation.
• Deep Time Audio Description App A mobile accessibility app providing audio descriptions and self-guided tours of the Fossil Hall using phone-native accessibility features, including tactile opportunity descriptions, images with alt text, FAQs, and search, for visitors with visual disabilities.
• Event Space Rentals Private event hosting services allowing groups to rent museum spaces including the Rotunda, Ocean Hall, Fossil Hall, and other galleries for events from 20 to 2,000 guests, including receptions and seated dinners.
• Museum Dining Services On-site food services including the Ocean Terrace Café and Atrium Café offering sustainable dining options for museum visitors.
• Museum Stores Retail shopping locations including the Nature Store, Gem and Mineral Store, Gallery Store, Family Store, Dinos and More Store, and Natural History Express Kiosk, selling merchandise, books, and educational items.
• Deep Time FossiLab A working fossil preparation laboratory within the Deep Time hall where visitors can watch paleontologists prepare fossils and learn about fossil preparation techniques in real time.
• School Programs Educational programs for Grades K-12 including Exhibit Explorations educator-led experiences and curriculum-aligned teaching resources for school and youth group visits.
• Research & Collections Access Access to 148 million specimens and artifacts for scientific research, including specimen loans and digital collection records searchable through the museum's online collections database.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for all visitors with no tickets required
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and minor.

• EsrimajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Lead sponsor of the 'From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage' exhibit, part of Smithsonian's 'Our Shared Future: 250' initiative commemorating the nation's 250th birthday.
• AmazonsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Additional contributor to the 'From These Lands' exhibit sponsorship.
• Idaho Museum of Natural HistorysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Loan of fossil skull with horns measuring more than six feet tip to tip from a bison ancestor that lived 100,000 years ago for the Bison: Standing Strong exhibit.
• QualcommmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Lead sponsor of the 'Cellphone: Unseen Connections' special exhibit exploring materials, labor, and infrastructure behind cellphones.
• T-MobilesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Major support for the 'Cellphone: Unseen Connections' exhibit.
• Coordinadora para el Estudio y Protección de las Especies Marinas (Spain)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Specimen loan program providing giant squid specimens from waters of northern Spain to the Smithsonian for display in the Sant Ocean Hall. Two giant squids on display are the only ones in the United States.
• U.S. NavysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted in transport of giant squid specimens from Spain to Washington D.C. as part of Operation Calamari.
• U.S. Air ForcesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted in transport of giant squid specimens from Spain to Washington D.C. as part of Operation Calamari.
• ParkWhizminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party parking reservation partner allowing visitors to reserve parking spots near the museum in advance.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Major West Coast natural history museum with overlapping research, collection, and exhibition focus areas including dinosaurs (Dinosaur Hall), gems and minerals, and animal habitats. Directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Field Museum: Major Chicago-based natural history museum with comparable exhibit halls, fossil collections (including Sue the T. rex), active research staff, and specimen digitization programs. Direct overlap in natural history exhibitions, scientific research, and K-12 educational programming.
• Natural History Museum, London: One of the world's most prominent natural history museums with comparable collections, research output, and visitor scale. Operates similar permanent galleries (dinosaurs, mammals, ecology) and is a global benchmark for natural history exhibition design and specimen digitization.
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Regional natural history and science museum with comparable permanent exhibits (space, dinosaurs, wildlife), active research and collections programs, and K-12 educational focus. Operates at a smaller scale but with similar programming mix.
• Royal Ontario Museum: Canada's largest natural history and world cultures museum. Comparable in scope across natural history exhibits, research, and collections management, with similar permanent galleries covering dinosaurs, gems and minerals, and biodiversity.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based natural history institution combining an aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum under one roof. Comparable research output, large specimen collection, and educational programming — particularly analogous given overlapping marine biology and biodiversity research.
• American Museum of Natural History: The leading natural history museum peer in the United States. Operates comparable permanent and rotating exhibits, conducts natural history research with a large scientific staff, and maintains vast specimen collections — making it the closest functional analog to NMNH despite being privately operated.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History: Pittsburgh-based natural history museum with comparable paleontology, mammal, and gem/mineral collections, plus active research staff. The museum's Dinosaurs in Their Time and Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems are direct analogs to NMNH exhibits.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Zoo: Another sibling Smithsonian museum on or near the National Mall. Shares federal trust funding, free-admission model, and Smithsonian governance, and overlaps with NMNH in biodiversity and conservation research — making it directly comparable on operations even though the visitor experience is centered on live animals.
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Sibling Smithsonian museum sharing federal trust status, the National Mall location, free-admission model, and Smithsonian Institution governance. While focused on aviation and space rather than natural history, it offers the most direct comparison for operating model, funding structure, and visitor dynamics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SmithsonianNMNH/?ref=bookmarks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smithsonian-national-museum-of-natural-history
• Instagraminstagram.com/smithsoniannmnh/?hl=en
• Xx.com/NMNH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History