National Museum of Natural History First known as the new National Museum, the National Museum of Natural History's building opened in 1910 after nearly 10 years of construction. The Museum's Beaux Arts design features a domed rotunda, columns, and a portico. The Museum first housed art, culture, history, geology, and natural history collections until the 1960s when the Museum of Natural History became a separate museum. Today, it is one of the most visited museums in the world, and displays such diverse objects as the Hope Diamond, a complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, and a live butterfly collection. <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Joseph+Coerten+Hornblower+">Joseph Coerten Hornblower </a> <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=James+Rush+Marshall+">James Rush Marshall </a> <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Daniel+Burnham">Daniel Burnham</a> <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Charles+McKim">Charles McKim</a> Smithsonian Institution Archives.<a href="http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&amp;profile=all&amp;source=~!siarchives&amp;uri=full=3100001~!308191~!0#focus"> View original</a>. 1846 (Founded) 1910 (Building opened) <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1890-1919">1890-1919</a>