Without doubt, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is one of the best museums in DC and one of my personal favorites. Right when you walk into the museum, you can’t miss the giant elephant statue in the middle of the lobby lovingly nicknamed Henry. From there, you will find many exciting exhibits, from dinosaurs to mummies to gems and minerals, as well as a really cool Insect Zoo and Butterfly Pavillion. One thing to keep in mind is that the museum is HUGE and you can easily spend 4-5 hours here without seeing everything.