National Geographic Museum of Exploration

Went there in January, we were excited to go because of the name recognition alone. However, the exhibit was ok. Most of the info you can find thru internet. There was no real artifacts. The immersive experience was ok. Went thru whole thing in about half an hour. We thought there will be behind the scenes of photography stuff. The gift shop was tiny. Just dont expect much.

When I went to the museum the King Tut exhibit was on display. The museum took me about an hour to go through. I stopped and looked at/read/watched everything. The museum does not have any artifacts. It is a series of displays that have information on King Tut’s mummification and the related religious practices in Egypt at the time. The displays are well done and interesting to look at. The displays are all projected images and short clips/films (with narration). The information is quite repetitive though. I understand not a ton is known about Tut so that’s probably why this exhibit doesn’t have a ton of information. The gift shop is nice. When I went they had replica jewelry of what king Tut had in his tomb, which I thought was pretty cool. The prices in the gift shop were reasonable too. If you’re looking for a way to spend an hour in DC this isn’t a bad way to do it for $16. If you’re looking to learn a lot about ancient Egypt or king tut you’ll be disappointed.

We saw a traveling King Tut exhibit years ago with actual artifacts. This is different, but for $20 entertaining and well done. You walk through rooms with various pictures and movies about what was found. There is a nice gift shop. Be sure to catch the addition 45 min documentary on the findings on the creation of the 22lb gold face mask in the main building. The main building also has some cool displays including walls with their journal front covers. The exhibit itself takes no more than one hour if you read and listen to everything.

Absolutely amazing. We went during the Queens of Egypt exhibit and it was beyond incredible. The way everything was displayed along with the information was amazing. There were also part that were hands on/interactive. Wasn’t too small nor too big. It was a great walk through history. There was also a little 3D area which was pretty cool as well.

Our family came to DC for a vacation and this is the best exhibit that we saw! There was so much interactive history and visuals for my little kids to follow versus what most museums have, which is a ton of information at you all the time. This is so well done and so beautiful. You must go check it out!

Within the National Geographic HQ is an off-the-beaten path museum. Celebrating the work of National Geographic, the museum rotates photography-centric exhibits showcasing the wonders of the universe. After two years closed due to the pandemic, the museum reopened with safety protocols (mask and social distancing requirements) on February 16, 2022. Here's what you should know: 1) Price: It's one of the few museums in Washington, D.C. that requires a paid ticket, but the prices aren't outrageous. Regular tickets are $15 and includes all exhibits in the museum. For students, military and seniors, it's $12. Children 5-12 are $10 and children under five are free. Reserve tickets online to guarantee entry. 2) Hours: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3) Exhibits: They change, but when they reopened, they had two exhibits. The first explores wildlife photography and the photographers behind the photographs. This exhibit is photo heavy, but includes a few interactive parts like an area to have your photo taken and a film with stunning footage of wildlife. The second exhibit showcases Mount Everest and the people who have climbed it. This exhibit is more interactive than the first, but both are worth it. 4) Store: At the end of the museum is a store with photograph-decorated walls and lots of merchandise from backpacks to cloths to books. There's also a kids section with a reading area filled with giant stuffed animals. 5) Location: Located in downtown D.C., the museum is within walking distance to neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Logan Circle filled with restaurants. When it reopens, The Coffee Bar on 17th Street NW brews a quality cup of coffee. Street parking can often be found along Rhode Island Ave NW near the Canopy Hotel. Although blocks away, visiting Planet Word, a museum about language in a historic school, and the National Geographic Museum is doable in the same day.

I gave the ticket office a call and a few minutes after I got to Nat Geo I was seeing Beyond King Tut, The Immersive Experience. Very few people were there and I could see the exhibit at my own pace. Beautiful projections with an interesting narrative.

The museum is pretty small, currently there's The Tomb of Christ, Titanic and one other exhibition, entrance is $15 per person and they give you 3D glasses for the Tomb of Christ part. Take your time going through everything, at the most you'll spend 30-40min here not including the gift shop (you enter on the left and come out from the right through the gift shop). I totally recommend the gift shop, there's stuff there that you won't find on their online site (like jewelry).

Went there in January, we were excited to go because of the name recognition alone. However, the exhibit was ok. Most of the info you can find thru internet. There was no real artifacts. The immersive experience was ok. Went thru whole thing in about half an hour. We thought there will be behind the scenes of photography stuff. The gift shop was tiny. Just dont expect much.

When I went to the museum the King Tut exhibit was on display. The museum took me about an hour to go through. I stopped and looked at/read/watched everything. The museum does not have any artifacts. It is a series of displays that have information on King Tut’s mummification and the related religious practices in Egypt at the time. The displays are well done and interesting to look at. The displays are all projected images and short clips/films (with narration). The information is quite repetitive though. I understand not a ton is known about Tut so that’s probably why this exhibit doesn’t have a ton of information. The gift shop is nice. When I went they had replica jewelry of what king Tut had in his tomb, which I thought was pretty cool. The prices in the gift shop were reasonable too. If you’re looking for a way to spend an hour in DC this isn’t a bad way to do it for $16. If you’re looking to learn a lot about ancient Egypt or king tut you’ll be disappointed.

We saw a traveling King Tut exhibit years ago with actual artifacts. This is different, but for $20 entertaining and well done. You walk through rooms with various pictures and movies about what was found. There is a nice gift shop. Be sure to catch the addition 45 min documentary on the findings on the creation of the 22lb gold face mask in the main building. The main building also has some cool displays including walls with their journal front covers. The exhibit itself takes no more than one hour if you read and listen to everything.

Absolutely amazing. We went during the Queens of Egypt exhibit and it was beyond incredible. The way everything was displayed along with the information was amazing. There were also part that were hands on/interactive. Wasn’t too small nor too big. It was a great walk through history. There was also a little 3D area which was pretty cool as well.

Our family came to DC for a vacation and this is the best exhibit that we saw! There was so much interactive history and visuals for my little kids to follow versus what most museums have, which is a ton of information at you all the time. This is so well done and so beautiful. You must go check it out!

Within the National Geographic HQ is an off-the-beaten path museum. Celebrating the work of National Geographic, the museum rotates photography-centric exhibits showcasing the wonders of the universe. After two years closed due to the pandemic, the museum reopened with safety protocols (mask and social distancing requirements) on February 16, 2022. Here's what you should know: 1) Price: It's one of the few museums in Washington, D.C. that requires a paid ticket, but the prices aren't outrageous. Regular tickets are $15 and includes all exhibits in the museum. For students, military and seniors, it's $12. Children 5-12 are $10 and children under five are free. Reserve tickets online to guarantee entry. 2) Hours: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3) Exhibits: They change, but when they reopened, they had two exhibits. The first explores wildlife photography and the photographers behind the photographs. This exhibit is photo heavy, but includes a few interactive parts like an area to have your photo taken and a film with stunning footage of wildlife. The second exhibit showcases Mount Everest and the people who have climbed it. This exhibit is more interactive than the first, but both are worth it. 4) Store: At the end of the museum is a store with photograph-decorated walls and lots of merchandise from backpacks to cloths to books. There's also a kids section with a reading area filled with giant stuffed animals. 5) Location: Located in downtown D.C., the museum is within walking distance to neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Logan Circle filled with restaurants. When it reopens, The Coffee Bar on 17th Street NW brews a quality cup of coffee. Street parking can often be found along Rhode Island Ave NW near the Canopy Hotel. Although blocks away, visiting Planet Word, a museum about language in a historic school, and the National Geographic Museum is doable in the same day.

I gave the ticket office a call and a few minutes after I got to Nat Geo I was seeing Beyond King Tut, The Immersive Experience. Very few people were there and I could see the exhibit at my own pace. Beautiful projections with an interesting narrative.

The museum is pretty small, currently there's The Tomb of Christ, Titanic and one other exhibition, entrance is $15 per person and they give you 3D glasses for the Tomb of Christ part. Take your time going through everything, at the most you'll spend 30-40min here not including the gift shop (you enter on the left and come out from the right through the gift shop). I totally recommend the gift shop, there's stuff there that you won't find on their online site (like jewelry).

This is a nice small museum that is currently being renovated. Went five years ago and when I was little. They had a mummy exhibit that was cool. Excited for the renovations to complete and see it again in a couple years.

I'm going to keep this relatively short and unsweet. I really wished I had read the other reviews before going here. When I think it National Geographic, I think "as big as the world". The building looks huge from outside but the museum is very small in comparison. It's not really a museum by common standards either. I asked if there was anything else besides the King Tut exhibit and the staff indicated there was a small gallery in the 2nd building of some of the history of Nat Geo but other than that no. They were right, the 2nd building only had a small alcove with videos of some of the key people in Nat Geo history and some of their old exploration equipment. Very small. The theater auditorium is also in the 2nd building which allows you to watch a Nat Geo movie included in the ticket price. The staff said that the "museum" usually is just the main exhibition. The King Tut exhibit while generally informative was lacking. There are no real artifacts. None at all. When I think of immersive exhibits I think of Artechouse in DC. Being completely engulfed by the exhibition as well as being able to interact with the exhibit. The King Tut exhibit was not that. A couple of rooms with crudely draw electronic projections and a few sparse touchscreens then a lead back to the gift shop. I felt like I wasted $20+ especially since I came to the museum to learn about Nat Geo and re-ignite my fire for exploring the outdoors and places previously unknown. Even though Nat Geo isn't printed anymore, the society still has had a major impact on showcasing the world we live in. I just wish I had seen more of that innovation and drive and legacy in this museum.

Fuse was being advertised in the hallway going out from the cafeteria! Fuse is a new app - I meant to stop by but duty calls - I come here whenever I don't feel like walking far - there is a cafeteria that serves as a full restaurant: salad bar, sushi, hot plate and each day they have a special. Today, they have carribean theme with plantains and all. I got salad and they weigh it and mine was just under a pound. I think it is $7.99 a pound.

Have you been to the Beyond King Tut - The Immersive Experience?! Travel into the Valley of the Kings. Enter the tomb of the famous boy king, King Tut. See his treasures and learn of his journey into the afterlife. You can do all this and more at Nat Geo's latest exhibit in Washington, DC. Dates: JUNE 17, 2022 - FEBRUARY 06, 2023 Cost: Regular Tickets: $20; Kids Tickets (5-12): $12; Discount Tickets: $16 Location: Nat Geo Museum, Washington, DC Master story tellers and curators of history, National Geography created a wonderfully immersive experience that almost takes you to Egypt's Land of Pharaohs. If you are seeking an unique and extraordinary few hours of fun, you'll love this day with the Boy King and your family. Travel often, eat and live deliciously.

Within the National Geographic HQ is an off-the-beaten path museum. Celebrating the work of National Geographic, the museum rotates photography-centric exhibits showcasing the wonders of the universe. After two years closed due to the pandemic, the museum reopened with safety protocols (mask and social distancing requirements) on February 16, 2022. Here's what you should know: 1) Price: It's one of the few museums in Washington, D.C. that requires a paid ticket, but the prices aren't outrageous. Regular tickets are $15 and includes all exhibits in the museum. For students, military and seniors, it's $12. Children 5-12 are $10 and children under five are free. Reserve tickets online to guarantee entry. 2) Hours: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3) Exhibits: They change, but when they reopened, they had two exhibits. The first explores wildlife photography and the photographers behind the photographs. This exhibit is photo heavy, but includes a few interactive parts like an area to have your photo taken and a film with stunning footage of wildlife. The second exhibit showcases Mount Everest and the people who have climbed it. This exhibit is more interactive than the first, but both are worth it. 4) Store: At the end of the museum is a store with photograph-decorated walls and lots of merchandise from backpacks to cloths to books. There's also a kids section with a reading area filled with giant stuffed animals. 5) Location: Located in downtown D.C., the museum is within walking distance to neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Logan Circle filled with restaurants. When it reopens, The Coffee Bar on 17th Street NW brews a quality cup of coffee. Street parking can often be found along Rhode Island Ave NW near the Canopy Hotel. Although blocks away, visiting Planet Word, a museum about language in a historic school, and the National Geographic Museum is doable in the same day.

It is hard to live in the DMV and not take advantage of al lnpf the museums in the area. National Geographic Museum is an awesome museum. They are currently featuring a King Tut Emersivve exhibit. You will not find ancient artifacts in this exhibit. You will find lights, video, and sound take you on a guided tour through the life and death of "The Boy King, King Tut." The exhibits are very informative and offer a lot of details not commonly known. The exhibit is fun for all ages and a great way to spend the day. This exhibit you may want to check out before it leaves.

Spent part of the afternoon in the king tut exhibit. It was awesome. A lot of great pictures and it's another immersive exhibit. The people who read/speak for tut and the gods have warm and wonderful voices. The exhibit has many discounts for seniors, educators, military, and students. The exhibit ends at the gift shop where so many clothes, books, cards, and other things you never realized you needed are beckoning. Well worth the time and money!

Came in with my family of 7 for the Beyond King Tut immersive exhibit. We had a great time. The facility was very clean and staff was nice. We would definitely return in the future and recommend.

This is a very cool place. There is so much to see. Around every corner you will find something interesting. It was not overly crowded and allowed us to spend a long time walking around. Go check this place out.

This place was interesting, but I wish I would have done a bit more research. From the looks of the building from the outside, I thought that it would be a huge museum with many different exhibits on each floor. After entering and paying the $15/ person, I realized that it was only on the ground floor and they only had two exhibits. The first one was really dope and the pictures that were on display were mesmerizing. The second exhibit about Mt. Everest was cool too! I would recommend ensuring that their current exhibit is something that you are super interested in before going.

First time at the National Geographic Museum. I went for the King Tut exhibit. Overall the experience was informative but what it lack was real artifacts (compare to Queen of Egypt exhibits that show cases artifacts from pervious reviews) and diving deeper in the linage of King Tut. Also The museum is only one floor which is disappointing.

+ great collection of Egyptian artifacts (temporary exhibit) + a constant stream of people but not oppressively crowded + no line to get in - small compared to other DC museums - $15 fee I came for the Queens of Egypt exhibit, otherwise I would not have paid the $15. With so many other free, amazing museums in DC, it's hard to justify the expense for the size of the museum. They had some interesting gift shop items related to the exhibit plus loads of other NG merch.

Really want to give 5 stars, it's tiny size lends itself to 3 stars, but it's choice of exciting exhibits makes it a solid 4 stars! The exhibit that I got to see was the women of ancient Egypt! Honestly I loved it but it was small but beautifully done! I found out that they've had other exhibits there that must travel from museum to museum. When you arrive at the museum you nearly explode with excitement looking at a six story building! But don't get carried away, only the bottom floor is the museum. But it's economically priced and extremely well appointed for size! I had a lot of fun there and really glad I stopped in! They have a small exhibit across the courtyard in a second building which shows the history of the magazine. Magazine covers, small exhibits for different stories, actually really fun and a nice touch. My favorite exhibit by far and unexpectedly, was seeing the world's very first board game, designed over 3000 years ago in Egypt! I happen to love boardgames so this was a treat! It was actually a rather complex game. I was shocked! The game follows your souls journey through the afterworld. I have to admit, chutes and ladders sounds like a lot more fun! Recommended if you're looking for a short stop that has interesting and fun exhibits and good for the whole family!

I came here for the district trivia night and participated with a group of friends! Prior to the trivia, I got a chance to briefly view the wall of covers (with many classic copies) and explored the main entrance. The room in which the trivia was held had the cafeteria right next to it, and there was a variety of many tasty options- veggie samosas, chicken wings, tater tots, and a few other dishes. All of what I tried was delicious! There was also a bar section that had some wine and beer selections. District trivia was fun and engaging, as always, and prices were distributed to winners after every round, which made it very engaging and competitive, as the scores were set to zero once a new round begun. The building is well lit, and exhibits cater to individuals of all ages. Looking forward to stopping by again in the future!

Enjoyed the king tut immersive experience. We were able to by tickets late in the day at 3pm on a Sunday onsite, and park on the street. Last tickets are sold at 4pm and the museum closes at 5pm. You can see everything in about 30-40min. The experience doors open at 5min intervals and staff were seen along the museum, there was also seating available at several spots along the way. Kids below 5 are free. $20 for adults.

Good, but disappointing. There are so many amazing free museums in DC that I hoped the National Geographic one would be fantastic, and would gladly have paid for that. As it was, $15 for two displays, and about an hour of time, left me wanting much more. Both displays are good, don't get me wrong. The Goodall one was immersive and educational. The stunning photo exhibit on women was nice to wander through. And the gift shop is pretty cool. But it all added up to, well, not much, and compared to the "competition," it was a letdown. I had limited time in town, and should have used it for another free, amazing museum.

This is a small museum when compared to most in Washington. $15/adult ticket to get in to the changing displays. When we visited the display was about Jane Goodall and her life with Chimpanzees. Very well done with several immersive areas. 3D theater that you stand in and "walk" through the brush like Jane did. A lot of reading to gain all the information but well worth it. The other half of the exhibit was WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD. Wall of pictures with small synopsis to read. All well done.

After lunch, we made our way to the National Geographic Museum. How lucky were we to find a metered parking place right in front. We went in and bought our tickets, which included the Titanic Exhibit and The Tomb of Christ Exhibit. We arrived at 2:00 PM, but could not go into the Tomb of Christ Exhibit until 3:30 PM. So, we started with the Titanic Exhibit - The Untold Story. The highlights were discovering the surprising link between a top secret Cold War mission and the 1985 discovery of the sunken Titanic by legendary oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Robert Ballard. We were able to see recreations of the luxurious staterooms that were aboard the ship. In addition to artifacts on generous loan from families of the survivors, the exhibition contains artifacts from the rich collections of the National Archives and 20th Century Fox Archives. We were able to see the sheet music from Wallace Hartley, the bandleader who refused to stop playing, even as the ship sank; and a Titanic deck chair, one of only seven known to exist. We also saw millionaire John Jacob Astor IV's pocket watch and the life jacket worn by his eighteen-year-old wife, Madeleine. Most interesting was seeing the only known set of Titanic boarding documents and tickets; and original footage of the Titanic's maiden voyage. Also interesting was seeing the props and costumes from the 1997 Titanic movie including Rose DeWitt Bukater and Cal Hockley's first-class suite, Jack Dawson's boarding suit, and the iconic Heart of the Ocean necklace. At 3:30, we were in line for the Tomb of Christ Exhibit. I was fortunate to see the show on the National Geographic Channel. For our son and grand-children, this exhibit was especially meaningful since we had just visited the Franciscan Monastery where they have a replica of the Tomb of Christ. They start you off by virtually transporting you to Jerusalem, where you discover the fascinating history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in an immersive 3-D experience unlike anything you've seen in a museum before. We were able to virtually visit the church and learn about its storied history and enduring mysteries. Built in the fourth century, the tomb of Christ, or the Holy Edicule, has just undergone a historic restoration--a project that captured the attention of the world. In the exhibition, we learned all about the restoration effort, which included a team of experts from the National Technical University in Athens led by Chief Scientific Supervisor, Antonia Moropoulou, who used new technologies, including LIDAR, sonar, laser scanning, and thermal imaging to preserve this important site. It was indeed a fascinating and informative exhibition. We just wished we had more time to see all that the museum had to offer.

Worst museum ever! The King Tut display was all videos and pictures projected on the walls.....I could have watched a Netflix documentary and had a better time. Don't waste your money

Sure, I love the Smithsonian. But the crowds can get a little overwhelming -- especially if you're with kids or older family members. I recommend a morning visit to the National Geographic Museum, located in the heart of Dupont Circle. It's not massive, so you can take your time perusing one of its rotating exhibitions or checking out some of its stunning photography. The museum also hosts live talks, trivia nights and even explorer-themed happy hours. The museum is open daily from 10 AM - 6 PM (closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day). While it's not free like the Smithsonian, tickets are still a pretty good value at $15 for adults; $12 for students/military/seniors (over 62) and $10 for children (5-12 years old). If you're coming by Metro, the Farragut North Station, on the Red Line of the Metro, is the closest station to the museum. Farragut North has two exits; make sure to leave the station through the L Street Exit. Afterwards, you're just steps away from some good brunch spots. Or if you're there on a Sunday, the farmer's market just north of Dupont Circle is a great place to check out.

Went specifically to see the Immersive King Tut exhibit. Wow what a waste of money. Zero artifacts. Zero physical items. The whole thing is walking through 5 rooms and watching some videos. The immersive part? Stand in this room and we will project videos around you. Feel like you're in Egypt? Nope. Not at all. Waste of time.

While visiting Washington DC, we noticed an advertisement for the "Queens of Egypt" exhibit at the National Geographic Museum. Since I'm a huge fan of Egyptian history, we decided to go. Although it was a good distance away from the National Mall area (a few blocks down and a few up), it was definitely worth the trek. It was a $15 ticket for entry which is reasonable. They had everything from a 3D version of a tomb and they walk you through the rooms, one by one. They even explain the different symbols on the walls. It was definitely interesting to see the contributions of various Egyptian Queens/Pharoahs instead of just viewing them as harem women or a pharoahs wife. They have some interactive portions like a scavenger hunt (get the paper at the front desk) and the questions are answered through various exhibits throughout. You can write your name in hieroglyphics, play an ancient Egyptian board game, or even view a short video on mummification. Definitely a worthwhile visit, "Queens of Egypt" exhibit is there until September 2, I believe.

Save your $15. Half of this museum (the "special" exhibit) was not so special. It literally consisted of enlarged Instagram photos. A compilation of photos that received the most likes on Instagram, yes, but Instagram photos nevertheless. Thanks, National Geographic, but I could have seen those on Instagram. The second half consisted of photos from DC photo week. Perhaps a little more exclusive, but I'm not so sure those aren't online as well. The best part of this museum is probably the store full of overpriced books and useless merchandise.

Queens of Egypt was like exploring a royal tomb in 19th century - you do not know what will you find but excitement of unknown and beauty of known is worthwhile spending $15. You will learn a lot, will be amazed and you will admire strong and beautiful women of ancient Egypt. The exhibit was a perfect size - spent exactly 58 interesting minutes there but I did not play Egyptian board games or watched every movie. I was intrigued to take a lot of pictures of almost timeless Egyptian sculptures. I left the exhibit happy, amazed and humbled because all men know women they admire.

We got to do the Tomb of Jesus exhibit and also the Titanic exhibit. The museum itself isn't as big as other ones in downtown DC, but the VR exhibit of Tomb of Jesus was a lot of fun! The other exhibit Titanic had lots of reading materials as well as some real items from the boat and its passengers. They also displayed some famous items and movie scene sets from the movie Titanic, such as the blue "diamond" necklace which I uploaded some photos.

The National Geographic Museum is near our hotel and since we had some time to kill before check in my husband and I decided to stop here. They currently have two special exhibits going on. One is the a virtual reality tour of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and the other is one on the Titanic. We had to pay an admission of about $13.00 each just to visit these two exhibits. I was fascinated by the walk though tour of the Holy Sepulcher. Every 5 minutes you would be guided into another room. The final room you get 3 D glasses which gives you an aerial and curved view of the site and the holy artifacts. Both my husband and I nearly lost our balance in this room and although it was good, I didn't see any warning sign to this effect. There were benches in that room which I would have used had I known this was going to happen. The presentation wasn't complete as I know it, I ended up telling them things I knew about it including the fact that some of the stations of the Cross are in this church. We found the Titanic exhibit more interesting. Although we missed the guided tour we leisurely toured it on our own and learned what launched the submarine search, the inadequacies of the ship itself, and props from the movie by James Cameron including costumes and a replica of the Grand stairway clock. There were bios of some of the famous people which many know who were passengers and we see some of their artifacts as well. At the end of the exhibit you enter a gift shop which of course has merchandise for sale for both attractions. Please note photography is not allowed in these exhibits. It was then I learned that the other side of the building is free to the public which is their general museum. Time did not permit us to go there but it is good if you are a National Geographic fan.

Best kept secret museum of DC - one of the top places to take advantage of in the area. This place has really high quality original, multi-media exhibits that have dazzled my family and me many times, as well as fascinating films and lectures/events. Yes, you have to pay, but if you average it out with all the free museums in DC, it comes out to $1 a person :) In other words, it's worth it. They often do exhibits of National Geographic photographers (i.e. the best in the world...), and it's very cool to see their photos blown up, not just in the small magazine. They recently had a montage of one of the wildlife protection pioneer photographers, including videos, behind the scenes shots, a "how they did it" look, and a retrospective on his career over 30 years. They also usually host part of the annual FotoDC exhibit, which is always interesting. There's currently an amazing Virtual Reality exhibit on Jerusalem, which frankly blew my mind and made me want to get VR at home (until I realized the price). The films there can be very good as well (the host the Banff Mountain Film Festival, for example). And meeting/interacting with the explorers during the lectures is a unique experience. The gift shop is a great place for original presents for family or friends. I guess the only downside really is that it's owned by Rupert Murdoch now, but the quality of the photos/exhibits/stories hasn't gone down yet.

The Queens of Egypt exhibit was very detailed. I loved every minute of It. I'm a big fan of studying Egyptian culture and why not take the time to learn about some prominent Black African Queens!

I remember visiting the NG Museum as a kid. This? Was not it. A poorly executed and underwhelming exhibit.

We goofed and first entered their actual offices and just walking down the hallway with all their past covers and timelines and camera used back in the day was wild. Eventually we walked across the courtyard and into the actual museum to partake in the two main exhibits - Tomb of Christ and Titanic (by chance the family had recently watched the James Cameron movie which proved beneficial). 'Tomb' was the more interesting and intense (to someone that went to Catholic grammar school back in the day and has strayed ever since...) - which is interactive and has a 3D portion and VR segment. 'Titanic' was chock full of info as well but your brain (and feet) sometimes start waving the white flag and just want you to reach the gift shop and leave so you can sit down somewhere and have a drink. A solid stop worth checking out.

Check the current exhibits - if you think you'll like those, you'll enjoy your visit. Nat Geo is a small museum, with space for two current exhibits, plus a collection of photographs and displays that cover their 100+ years of history. Most of the space is dedicated to the current exhibits, so you'll need to have an interest in those to make the trip worthwhile. One of the current exhibits - "Day into Night", a series of photographs by Stephen Wilkes - is amazing! You can read about Wilkes' method on the Nat Geo website, but in brief, he visits a scenic urban or rural site, takes thousands of photographs of the same view over the course of 24 - 36 hours, and then melds them into a single shot that covers many hours of time. Pretty cool, and unlike anything I've seen before. The prints on view at the museum are very large, and seeing them in person is much more impressive than seeing (much) smaller versions online, or in a book. If you enjoy photography, you'll like this. This is a small museum, and you can probably view everything in a few hours. There's no museum cafe, but there are plenty of restaurants / coffee shops within a few blocks' walk for fueling up before or after your visit.

This place was overall interesting. The better part was the Everest area. I would have liked to see more objects in the National Geographic area.

Don't waste your time and money. This 'museum' is primarily articles and pictures you can find on the internet but bigger. You can probably even walk in for free through the courtyard. All of the employees there don't care about being there. There's even a giant wall of national geographic magazine covers. Who the eff cares about that? I can Google those covers. I want to see actual shark teeth, actual dinosaur bones. But no, here's some magazine covers instead. I wouldn't recommend this even if it were free!

I should start by saying that this museum is for children. Unless the featured, changing exhibit is something that you are very into, this is most defiantly a children's museum. Had my hubby and I known that on our trip, we would not have payed to spend 10 minutes there. There was no line to enter and the museum was easy to find. It was about 0.5 miles to a metro station but the walk wasn't bad. The museum staff was very friendly and knew a lot about the shark exhibit we saw. The price was steep and, in my opinion, only worth it if you have children. That being said, the second exhibit was a child's educational paradise. It was full of interesting stations with interactive exhibits and lots of hands on features. As an elementary school teacher, I would reccommend it for children ages 5-13. There was a tent to explore, an arctic hut with a giant polar bear statue, the basket of a hot air balloon, rainforest trees, and many other features that made the exhibit extra appealing for children. Connected to the museum by an outdoor courtyard is an outdoor is an eating area and offices. If you're willing to pay the price of admission and have a child who enjoys learning, this would be a great stop. It should also be noted that museum subscribers do receive a discount at the ticket counter. There is no teacher discount.

AVOID. TOURIST TRAP. CASH GRAB. If you want to spend $15 (Adult admission) on 5 minutes to see Wikipedia articles propped up, then by all means do it. There are little to no physical artifacts, this is a SCAM. It's 1 floor which goes from one building to the next with a sad courtyard across.

3.5 stars. I've been here a few times for their special exhibits (Terracotta Warriors, Indiana Jones, etc). Price range is about $11-$15, depending on student, military discounts. These exhibits take up half of the first floor so it doesn't take too long to walk through. While informative and interesting, it is kind of pricey considering that the museums in DC are free. Half of the Indiana Jones exhibit is dedicated to the movies, with video clips and costumes and props from the actual movies. The other half consist of archaeological finds throughout history. For this exhibit, they give you an audio pad and headphones, which is necessary to listen to the commentaries. Overall, the tour was just okay. Check it out if you are a huge Indiana Jones fan! *The Indiana Jones and the Adventures of Archaeology Exhibit runs until January 3, 2016. With your ticket, you can also see the Monster Fish exhibit, which runs until October 11, 2015. **The Monster Fish exhibit is NOT worth the ticket price alone! It's pretty much for children.

Small but amazing. That's what you're getting when you come to the NG Museum. I was hoping for more exhibits, but there is only one main exhibit. So for $15.00, it is a little pricey. I had wanted to see the Queens of Egypt exhibit though, and I decided I was going to visit. The exhibit itself was great. A lot of artifacts are on loan from other places, and you get a really good look at authentic items. I loved the read about the lives of the women who were quite powerful in their time. The 3D experience in the tomb was fantastic - if you like 3D virtual reality experiences, this was a must try. Beware though that you might get dizzy! The other aspect of the exhibit I liked was the information on the perfumes used by Cleopatra. You actually get to smell the scents! SO COOL. The location is good too without a lot of congestion - at least on the Friday that I went. Be aware that you should buy tickets in advance. This allows you to get in at the time you choose. If you go in person, you may have to wait to get in until a later time. When I was there, it was a particularly slow day, so I was allowed in prior to my scheduled time. You're probably only going to spend an hour to an hour and a half in in the museum unless you are a person who wants to read everything. This was a highlight of my trip! It will be interesting to see what the next exhibit will be.

The Tut exhibition is actually pretty boring. You can only watch some videos and some pictures. No real stuff from the excavation.

We went for the opening of the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology -- very cool exhibit especially if you are a fan. There were costumes, movie posters, the lost Ark, and numerous other props from the films as well as information about the exploration efforts that inspired. We got to watch Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark in their theater which was really cool and worth doing, I highly recommend it if you ge the chance. Last night the theater was packed and the audience was involved. We also visited the Monster Fish exhibit which is informational, interactive, and had giant fish replicas (great for some fun pictures).

This was very boring. Only took 25 minutes and we read all the information. Not worth the money or time. Extremely disappointing.

I'm a career scientist and a college administrator. I have also been a long-time follower of and subscriber to various National Geographic publications since my childhood. I frequently recommend NatGeo as an accessible resource for laypeople with an interest in science--young and old, alike. Following a recent visit to the NatGeo museum in Washington, DC, however, I feel compelled to post a public critique. In display after display, I found myself repeatedly surprised, disappointed, and ultimately disgusted by the repeated use of Christian-centric, anti-Semitic notations for dating artifacts. I cannot remember the last time I went to a respectable museum and saw "BC or AD" to denote the date...of anything. These terms are not only squarely centered on a Christian schema of time and culture, but by their very nature minimize the relevance of other groups by forcing them to confirm to a Christian median. The surprising use of those anachronistic terms immediately calls into question other aspects that inevitably shape comparative cultural portrayals and exhibits. The scientific community, political entities, and most modern educational institutions have long used the more evenhanded "BCE or CE." To put it clearly, NatGeo's use of this anachronism completely shocked me, and cast dark doubts on other aspects of the organization's underlying intentions. Given the above rationale, I urge National Geographic to issue a formal, public apology for this misstep AND to correct it at their museum as soon as possible.

I agree with Adam's review which says save your $15/person admission fee. A museum that has 3 exhibit halls that change frequently. Only 2 were open...the first, a collection on nat geo instagram photos, with no more info than you could find checking the feed. I waited for the tour, which was just an employee pointing out their favorite photos? The second was the results from a photo contest. Pictures were great, but with a free National Portrait Gallery nearby, can't justify the fee. If you want to support the goals of National Geographic, check it out. Frankly, the evening sessions (brochure available) looked like a much better bang for your buck.

I've been to DC several times and had never made it to the National Geographic Society museum before. We came in early March 2020 and they had 2 current exhibits and their permanent collection. We didn't have enough time to walk through the permanent collection, but did take the time to enjoy the Jane Goodall exhibit and one that was dedicated to photographic storytelling of women. Both exhibits were very thoughtful, well-curated, and well put together. In order to enjoy this museum fully, I think you should allow yourself about 3-4 hours to wander through. It isn't terribly expensive to get in and it has a lot of interactive features for kids too. Don't miss out on this one.

Seriously, don't waste your money. This place is a joke. Go to the museum of natural history instead and you won't be disappointed. This place is tiny and doesn't have anything truly interesting to see. Felt like I wasted time and money when I could have been anywhere better. You've been warned!

We came here on the Sunday that The Queens of Egypt exhibit opened and it was packed! I didn't realize the tickets are timed, so once we got to the front of the ticket line, we had to wait 30 minutes before entering. But that was fine! We went to their smaller permanent collection to kill time. The exhibit was awesome and very thoughtfully put together. Looking forward to coming back!

I went to an afterhours event here and must say this was an ideal spot for that purpose! The current exhibit highlighted at the event focused on sharks. We had access to the museum area containing this exhibition. I really enjoyed the photographic presentation- very detailed and comprehensive for a shark lover such as myself. As for the after hours event, the speakers were incredibly detailed, the photo ops were great, and I got to ride the mechanical shark (on which I lasted a whole 32 seconds). Food options were slim but drinks were plentiful. After seeing the price of entry for regular visits, I would probably have been disappointed for a regular visit but the after hours event was great!

Great museum with an amazing staff! The team working on 3/1/2020 was so kind and helpful to me as we encountered somewhat of an emergency during our visit - I left my phone in the Lyft that drove us to the museum! Those working had great suggestions to help get the phone and really helped as best they could. I truly appreciate their kind gift as they knew how stressed out we were! We did eventually get back the phone. Yay! The exhibits we saw were awesome. I strongly recommend the Jane Goodall - catch it before it ends! I loved following her journey. Further, the WOMEN: A CENTURY OF CHANGE was awesome. Great photos of truly great women. Inspiring. Beautiful. What started off to be a pretty crummy morning turned out to be a really great visit. Thanks so much for everything. You all rock.

I have to agree with a couple other reviews, the exhibits are small. You hear national geographic and I expect edit to be a tad bigger with a lot more information considering they have a magazine and their own TV network, not just show but network!!! Ok let me get back on track.... Easy to find, a couple blocks from Farragut north metro stop. Probably the best way to get there if you don't feel like hunting for parking. The exhibits were small and it was $11 unless you can get a discount for $9. They offer 2 3D movies for additional $$$

Eh. That's all I have to say. Went today for the first time and saw artifacts of Egyptian Pharaohs and the cheesy year round museum across the courtyard which was bare and just a small area of stupid items. I expected a lot more and was sorely disappointed for $15 or even for free.