Timeline
10:30
National Museum of Natural History
Enter the National Museum of Natural History right at 10:30 AM. Beat the bulk of the visitors by heading straight for the dinosaur fossils. The complete skeletons are the real showstoppers and they are impossible to miss. Take your time with the mineral samples and the evolution displays before moving on to the precious rock collection to see the Hope Diamond.
12:00
Walk seven minutes to Central Michel Richard for lunch. This is the showpiece restaurant of the city's great chef. Order haute and somewhat Gallicized versions of simple American dishes. The lunch service runs from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM on weekdays, so arriving by 12:00 PM gives you a comfortable window to eat without rushing.
12:30
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
After lunch, walk seven minutes southeast to the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden. The building itself is an intimidating brutalist spaceship. Inside, you will find wonderfully stimulating and cutting-edge exhibits of international modern and contemporary art. It is a stark contrast to the natural history exhibits earlier and offers a quiet space to digest your meal and your thoughts.
Local tip
The museum opens at 10:30 AM daily. Arriving exactly at opening time ensures you have the dinosaur halls to yourself for the first hour. Lunch at Central is best booked in advance for the 12:00 PM slot.
Check before you go
- National Museum of Natural History is open from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily.
- Central Michel Richard serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Washington, D.C. (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).