Today the Smithsonian announced that conservative billionaire David Koch had donated $35 million for a new Dinosaur Hall in the National Museum of Natural History. more ›

Phew: the National Museum of Natural History reopened to the public around 10:45 a.m. this morning after a fire broke out near the museum. Museum staff had been evacuated from the main building after smoke started billowing out of a nearby structure, but no injuries or damage to artifacts in the museum were reported. The fire was reportedly caused by some welding work being done on the roof of a detached building which holds the museum's cooling equipment -- the heavy smoke was apparently due to the fire interacting with "plastics." more ›

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History opened its doors 100 years ago today, on March 17, 1910. To mark the occasion, the museum has opened a brand new exhibit hall, the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins, a large permanent exhibit dedicated to the discovery and understanding of human origins. more ›

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History held a press conference this morning (the Post even sent someone to cover it) to show off the Hope Diamond, now on display for the first time ever without any kind of setting. The 45.52-carat diamond has been at the museum for 50 years, but always in its traditional setting, a pendant circled by smaller diamonds on a diamond necklace. The naked blue gem will now remain on display until April 2010, when it will be placed into a temporary new setting, and then sometime later, returned to its original setting. more ›

Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough announced Monday that the three most popular museums on the National Mall will stay open longer through the summer in an effort to boost revenue for their gift shops and restaurants, the AP reports. The National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum will stay open two hours later, until 7:30 p.m., and the National Museum of American History will stay open at least one hour later, every day this summer. The museums open at 10 a.m. and typically closed at the end of the work day. A spokesperson for the Smithsonian confirmed that the extended hours actually started on Mar. 28, and will last until at least Sept. 7, with a few exceptions. Consult the web sites of each museum for the most up to date operating hours. more ›

The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum will be holding a special lecture on the environment tomorrow at 7 p.m. as part of its 23rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. program. Robert D. Bullard, the Ware Distinguished Professor of Sociology and director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, will present his lecture, Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities and Environmental Justice Twenty-Five Years After Warren County, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Baird Auditorium, 10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW. more ›