goSmithsonian - February 2009 - (Page 36) THE BASICS HOURS: 10 to 5:30; closed December 25. Evening hours are sometimes added on holidays. Check for summer evening hours ADDRESS: Constitution Avenue at 10th Street, NW (accessible entrance) PHONE: 202.633.1000 (voice/tape) 202.633.5285 (TTY) WEB: mnh.si.edu gosmithsonian.com METRO: National Museum of Natural History Explore the world’s natural and cultural wonders beneath the dome of this 1910 Beaux Arts building. The museum’s 18 exhibition halls contain tens of thousands of artifacts and specimens that together tell the story of the earth and its evolution into the planet of today. TIPS • Ask about daily events at the information desks (on the ground floor near the Constitution Avenue entrance and on the first floor in the rotunda). • Take a break and eat at the Atrium Café, but try to avoid the busy hours between noon and 2. • Buy your IMAX® movie tickets in advance; then arrange your schedule around the showtime. • Meet in the rotunda for free hour-long tours, Tuesday through Friday at 10:30 and 1:30. Tours of the “Sant Ocean Hall” offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11 and 2. (Tours are subject to docent availability.) • Use the stairs (located around the perimeter of the museum’s rotunda) instead of taking the elevators for better enjoyment of the grand architecture of the building. • On Tuesdays, the “Live Butterfly Pavilion” is open free of charge; same-day timed-entry tickets are required. Regular entrance fees are: $6 for adults; $5 for children ages 2 to 12; $5.50 for seniors, age 60 and up. Tickets may be purchased two weeks in advance; call 202-633-4629, or toll-free 877-932-4629. Discounts apply for groups of 10 or more. Strollers are prohibited. HUNGRY OR THIRSTY? The Atrium Café, located on the ground floor, serves healthy food, using local produce. The Fossil Café, located on the first floor at the end of the “Dinosaur Hall,” offers fresh salads, sandwiches, pastries and beverages—and one-of-a-kind tabletop exhibits. Discounts are available to Smithsonian members. For desserts and specialty coffees, try the Ice Cream Bar at the entrance to the Atrium Café. (See p. 6 for other dining options.) WHAT’S NEW? “Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake” (opens Feb. 7) Human anatomy and forensic investigation provide intriguing information on people and events of America’s past. This exhibition will examine history through 17th-century bone biographies, including those of colonists teetering on the edge of survival at Jamestown, Virginia, and those of wealthy and well-established individuals of St. Mary’s City, Maryland. “Orchids Through Darwin’s Eyes” (closes April 26) In commemoration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, explore the alluring world of orchids through the eyes of Darwin and the naturalists, horticulturists and scientists he influenced. M metro ® ● ● Smithsonian or Federal Triangle (ORANGE OR BLUE LINES) 36 goSmithsonian.com JOHN STEINER, NMNH; SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION; CHIP CLARK The 45.52-carat Hope Diamond, on view in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Gems, is surrounded by 16 white diamonds. Its necklace chain contains 45 more white diamonds! http://www.mnh.si.edu http://www.gosmithsonian.com http://www.goSmithsonian.com
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