Exhibitions

This major exhibition hall focuses on the story of human origins and probes the ecological and genetic connections that human beings have had with the natural world over time. It examines the shared framework of humankind—the biological and .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This site-specific installation by Barbara Kruger (American, b. Newark, NJ, 1945) wraps the entire lower-level lobby in text-printed white vinyl against fields of black and red. Covering the walls, floor, and escalator sides, this immersive .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Diverse and wide-ranging in material, time period, style, and intended use, the objects in Currents span the continent of Africa to explore the importance of water for both practical and artistic purposes. Objects on view include Akan fish-.... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

An elevated stainless-steel circle balanced on an intricately carved stone drum, the design of the National Native American Veterans Memorial is simple and powerful, timeless and inclusive. The design incorporates water for sacred ceremonies, .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Tsedaye Makonnen is a Washington, D.C.–based Ethiopian American artist. In the seven sculptures featured in this exhibition, she explores the dehumanization of Black women, femme people and their communities, finding connections in form, and .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The Garden Lounge serves as a welcoming interior garden rest and recharge area for visitors featuring live plants and a relaxing atmosphere with botany content as a frame. Bright sunlight, enhanced seating and designated outlets for charging .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is home to over a dozen species of primates. The homestead for the Zoo’s gorillas and orangutans is the Great Ape House. Within the house, floor-to-ceiling viewing panes allow visitors to view these endangered .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

This hall showcases some 274 mammals and explores their diversity and how they originated and adapted to changing landscapes and environments over the last 225 million years—from polar to desert regions and from dry to humid environments. The .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.