Accessibility Information

The National Museum of Natural History is committed to providing inclusive experiences for all audiences. Please contact 202-633-5238 or email NMNHAccessibility@si.edu for access services. 

Entrance

All museum entrance and exits have stair-free access. 

Parking

The Smithsonian does not provide parking, but there are designated accessible spaces around the National Mall. View the Smithsonian Accessibility Map (PDF).

Metro

The closest Metro to the accessible entrance on Constitution Avenue is the Federal Triangle Metro station, which is located on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. The closest metro along the Green and Yellow line is Archives/Navy Memorial. The closest Red line station is Metro Center. View a map of the closest Metro stations.

For the most up-to-date information on the Metrorail system and possible elevator outages, please visit Metro's Accessibility Web Page.

Service Animals

Service animals specially trained to assist a person with a disability are welcome in all Museum exhibits and venues.

Multilingual Resources for Visitors

• Museum maps are available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German at the Visitor Information Desks. 
• Teaching Resources are available on our website in American Sign Language, Spanish, and English.

Information for Visitors in a Wheelchair

• All of the Museum's exhibitions (including the Butterfly Pavilion) are accessible by wheelchair, and all public floors of the Museum can be reached by elevator.
• All theaters include wheelchair locations and companion seats.
• All food service areas are accessible by wheelchair with no steps, turnstiles, or other potential obstructions
• All Museum restrooms are accessible to those with mobility disabilities or in wheelchairs. Family/companion care restrooms are located on the First Floor off the Rotunda via the Sant Ocean Hall.

Courtesy Wheelchairs

The National Museum of Natural History has courtesy wheelchairs that may be borrowed on a first-come, first-served basis free of charge for use within the building. The wheelchairs, which are all manually operated, may not be taken outside of the Museum. Wheelchairs may be checked out at the Information Desk in the Evans Gallery on the Ground Floor of the museum, near the Museum store. 

Information for Visitors Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

• Video presentations within exhibitions are open captioned. 
• Induction loops are installed at the Rotunda Visitor Information Desk and the Worldwide Theater in the Hall of Human Origins.
• Assisted Listening Devices are available upon request for programs in Baird Auditorium and Q?rius Theater. 

Information for Visitors Who Are Blind or Partially Sighted

• Tactile objects are provided for all visitors at designated points throughout the Museum. A full list of available tactile objects can be found at the Information Desks in standard and large print.
• Verbally-described tours designed for visitors with visual disabilities are available with a two-week advanced notice. Subject to volunteer availability. To request this service, please call (202) 633-5238 or e-mail NMNHAccessibility@si.edu.
• Audio Description: The museum has audio description tours for three exhibits: The David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky, and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo.
• Aira Access - The museum is a location for the Aira Access mobile information and verbal description service. Visitors can download the free Aira app on a smartphone, connect to the museum’s free Wi-Fi, and use the app to speak to an Aira agent using minutes provided courtesy of the Smithsonian. Visit Aira Access for more information, or download and read this Aira guide (PDF).

Immersive Spaces 

Please see the details for each venue for further information about hours and reservations.

• Q?rius – Temporarily Closed - Created for teens, tweens, and their families and teachers, Q?rius is an interactive learning space where visitors can use microscopes, handle almost 6,000 collection objects, solve science puzzles, and meet science experts.
• Q?rius jr. – Temporarily Closed - Now located in Q?rius, the Q?rius jr. area is an interactive space especially for children ages 10 and younger which features real Museum objects and artifacts. Visitors of all ages can touch fossils, skulls, shells, minerals and much more!
• O. Orkin Insect Zoo – O. Orkin Insect Zoo is a special exhibit hall on the Second Floor of the Museum where volunteers conduct tarantula feeding demonstrations, work with live insects that visitors may touch and answer questions about the many-legged creatures that live in the O. Orkin Insect Zoo.

Information for Visitors with Developmental, Learning & Sensory Disabilities

When to Visit

For a quieter experience, visit the museum between Monday and Wednesday, or any weekday during September or February. Specific days may vary, given holidays or special events at the museum or on the National Mall.

Calendar of Events

This calendar of events highlights some of the programs and activities that will be happening at the museum.

Virtual Tour

This comprehensive presentation allows visitors using a desktop computer (Windows, Mac, Linux) or a mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android) to take a virtual, self-guided tour. Visitors can experience the museum in a unique, room-by-room view of select exhibit and as well as select research and collections areas at our satellite support and research stations.