National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.

The National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. features one original Norman Rockwell painting in its permanent collection.

While not strictly a Norman Rockwell museum, I have included it because it contains a very important original Norman Rockwell painting among its collection.

The sole Norman Rockwell painting in the Museum's collection is Audubon Observing the Passenger Pigeon appeared in a story inthe October 19, 1971 issue of Look magazine.

Audubon Observing the Passenger Pigeon, a 46.25 x 62.5 inches or 117.5 x 159 cm oil on canvas was the illustration accompanying a story by the same name by author Jack Shepherd. The article appeared on page 26 through 27 of that issue of Look. Of course, John James Audubon observed and painted hundreds of different birds during the course of his life. This painting captures him doing what he loved.

At over five feet wide, this is one of the larger of the original Norman Rockwell paintings.

In addition to this treasure, the Museum also has many thousands of square feet of exhibits featuring anthropology, minerals, botany, zoology, paleobiology, and all manner of animals, even extinct species.

This Museum is definitely worth a visit, as are all the Smithsonian Institute Museums.

Other Norman Rockwell artwork is included in the collections of two other Smithsonian Museums, the National Air and Space Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

About The National Museum of Natural History

The Museum is open every day except December 25th. Museum hours are 10AM to 5:30PM, with special hours on some holidays. See the calendar on the website for further details.

Admission is free.

National Museum of Natural History
10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20560

Phone (202) 633-1000

Visit the museum website. (Opens new window.)