Collections Access

In order to coordinate visit requests and to allow ample time to process your researcher ID paperwork we ask that you submit your request as early as possible.

• For short visits (1- 2 days) arrangements must be made at least two weeks in advance of the desired start date.
• For longer visits (2-30 days) arrangement must be made at least 1 month in advance.
• For visits longer than 30 days, and for researchers applying for an academic appointment, arrangements must be made at least 8 weeks, and preferably 12 weeks, in advance of the desired start week to ensure sufficient time to process your application and complete the mandatory background investigation. Contact a Curator for more information.

Due to logistics of accessing certain specimens please make arrangements 1 month in advance if you are studying the following taxa: Cetacea, Hagerman Fossil Beds equids, Sauropoda, Teleoceras, Testudinata, Titanotheria, or vertebrate trackways.

Hours of access vary between the Natural History Building (NHB) and the Museum Support Center (MSC) but as a guideline for planning your visit, you may anticipate having access to the collections Monday-Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, excluding Federal holidays. Please coordinate with your staff sponsor as to what their specific hours are.

Subject to the availability of departmental staff, it may be possible to extend the hours of collection access at NHB beyond the 9:00 am to 4:00 pm period. Access hours are strictly observed at the MSC, your sponsor will give you further details should you need to access collections housed offsite. Research visitors who require greater flexibility in workdays and work hours, research visitors who expect to stay longer than 30 days in any one 12 month period, and frequent research visitors should consult with their Department of Paleobiology staff sponsor regarding the possibility of a formal academic appointment.

New visitors should report to the security office at the main entrance to the museum on Constitution Avenue. Security will then issue you a visitors badge and have you contact your staff sponsor to escort you to the Department of Paleobiology.

The fossil collections are split between the Natural History Building (NHB) in downtown Washington D.C and the Museum Support Center (MSC) in Suitland, Maryland, approximately 8 miles from the Natural History Building. Additional arrangements are required to examine specimens at the MSC.

The Natural History Building (NHB) is located at 10th St and Constitution Ave NW,  Washington DC, 20560.

The Museum Support Center (MSC) is located at 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland MD, 20746.

Parking

NHB: Metered street parking near the museum is extremely limited and daily rates at commercial garages may not be feasible for visitors on a strict budget. Apps such as ParkWhiz allow for making advanced parking reservations at nearby commercial garages.

MSC: A limited amount of free visitor parking is available on campus.

Public Transportation

The local subway system, Metro, is the simplest way to travel through DC. Visit Metro's Website for more information regarding using the DC public transportation system.

Click here for a map of the DC Metro System

NHB: Metro stops at Archives-Navy Memorial, Metro Center, Federal Triangle, and Smithsonian are all within a short walk from the Museum. Metro stations are also available at National Airport (DCA) and Union Station (Amtrak).

MSC: The MSC is accessible via Metro. The Suitland station is about a 15 minute walk from MSC.

NHB to MSC Shuttle: A shuttle bus leaves NHB every weekday hour from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please check with your Paleo Department host for the shuttle schedule. Allow an additional hour of commuting time for each day you study collections there.

Your visit host will provide you with an imaging agreement form that must be completed if you wish to complete any photography, 3D data capture, or CT scanning of NMNH Department of Paleobiology specimens. All images and datasets of Smithsonian collections may be used only in accordance with the Smithsonian Terms of Use. Photographs and 3D datasets may not be used for commercial purposes unless explicit license is given by the Smithsonian. A copy of all raw and processed images and datasets must be provided to the Department of Paleobiology. Any questions should be directed to Holly Little, Paleobiology Informatics Manager. 

Our collections database is searchable through this link. Clicking the + next to a record will open a window with additional specimen information and any available images; details for all records can also be exported as a CSV for easier viewing. If you are interested in specific specimens, you may also send a list of these prior to your visit so that collections staff can locate them in advance or let you know if anything is unavailable for study. Be aware that we have a very large collection and not everything has a digital record; our staff will do their best to answer additional inquiries regarding specimen data.

We have a limited number of dissecting scopes and copy stands available for visitor use. Please make sure to note on your Visitor Registration Form if you will need access to this equipment. Visitors must bring any other necessary equipment and accessories with them.

If you are bringing in any specimens (real or cast) from your personal collection or from another institution, make sure this is noted on the Visitor Registration Form.  If you have any questions regarding equipment and availability, please do not hesitate to contact us.

To maintain the condition of all our specimens, all specimens must be treated with extreme care and respect.

• Before and after handling specimens, please wash your hands.
• Use trays and carts to transport specimens, never place a specimen on the floor.
• Only remove specimens from the cabinets that you can work with in a single work session.
• Put all specimens away at the end of the work day and when taking a lunch break.
• All cabinets need to be kept closed and locked when not actually removing or returning specimens. Cases are to be closed while studying removed specimens. 
• Labels and numbers are not to be removed from specimens without consulting a Collection Manager.
• When removing specimens from the collection, a placeholder slip must be completed and left in the collection to flag the specimens location.

Some collections such as the Burgess Shale require special visitor oversight from a departmental staff member.

All specimens brought to the museum (e.g. for comparison) must be logged in to the department at the time of your arrival and checked at your departure. Please let us know if you plan to bring in specimens to the collections in your visit request form.

If you have any problems or concerns when handling specimens, please do not hesitate to contact a staff member for assistance. Some oversize specimens require multiple people to handle.

Any destructive analysis of a specimen requires an approved proposal to be submitted to the collections manager. Your proposal must include

• What is your study? 
• What exactly will be sampled?
• What sampling methods will be used and how much sample is required?
• Provide a justification for why this sampling is needed and an explanation of why there are no alternatives to sampling.
• How might the data be relevant in the future?
• An agreement to provide a copy of the data to the NMNH for our records. 

The proposal should be signed by yourself and, if you are a student, also approved signed by your advisor.

Specimens selected for sampling, whether submitted prior to the visit or identified during a visit, must be approved by the collections manager and curator who oversees the collections. While it is possible to arrange a loan for specimens during your visit, we cannot guarantee we will be able to expedite loan processing for you to leave with the specimens or samples in hand and may need to ship them at a later date.

We ask visitors to please notify a staff member of any signs of a live pest infestation, misplaced specimens, or suspected incorrect data such as specimen misidentification (please do not make any corrections).

Many specimen cases within the Department of Paleobiology contain trace amounts of lead and arsenic.  The department maintains a supply of gloves for use by researchers upon request. Make sure to wash your hands before and after handling specimens and opening and closing cases. For additional information contact one of the collection managers.

In the event of a museum emergency, listen for and follow the instructions broadcast over the security loudspeakers. If you are asked to evacuate, please do not worry about specimens or equipment, and leave the building immediately.

If you experience an emergency, call NMNH security at 202.633.3066 or MSC security (main entrance) at 301.238.1156. You can also call 911 from a museum phone, which routes to NMNH and SI security.

Visitors may have a re-sealable water bottle with them while working in the collection but no other food or drink is allowed. There is also to be no eating, drinking, or storing food in collection ranges or around specimens.

Both the NMNH and MSC have a cafeteria.  There is a microwave and refrigerator available for visitor use at NMNH.