This page is a Smithsonian virtual tour guide. The Smithsonian has many online doors, so the useful task is to choose the right one for science, space, history, art, portraits, education, open images, or 3D objects.
Begin with Natural History for a room-by-room tour, Air and Space for STEM, Learning Lab for teachers, and Open Access or Smithsonian 3D for object research.
Quick Index
| Resource | Place | Type | Main Use | Why it is useful |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History | United States | 360 tour | science | Room-by-room natural history tour with fossils, ocean rooms, and science exhibits. |
| Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | United States | online resources | space | Air, space, and STEM resources from a famous museum. |
| National Museum of American History | United States | online exhibits | history | Online exhibits for American history and culture. |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum | United States | collection | art | Large online art collection with object pages and stories. |
| National Portrait Gallery | United States | collection | art, history | Portrait collection useful for people, biography, and history lessons. |
| Smithsonian Learning Lab | United States | education | education | Teacher-ready collections, activities, and classroom materials. |
| Smithsonian Open Access | United States | open collection | collections | Open images and data for research, study, and creative projects. |
| Smithsonian 3D | United States | 3D collection | 3D | 3D scanned objects that show what a digital object experience can be. |
Best route
A general visitor should begin with Natural History. A student should use Learning Lab. A creator should study Open Access and Smithsonian 3D.
Why Smithsonian is useful
The Smithsonian resources cover tours, objects, education, images, and 3D scans, so one institution can support several different learning paths.
How to Use This Page
Open the official page from the index, check the access note, and choose one clear goal before starting. For a visit, the goal can be a room, a collection, or one question. For a class, the goal should be a short task. For a creator, the goal should be an example to study, not a page to copy.
Suggested Route
- If the reader wants to visit now, start with the broadest official resource in the index.
- If the reader wants to compare options, open three resources from different types.
- If the reader wants a class activity, choose one resource and prepare a worksheet.
- If the reader wants to make a project, collect examples first and then choose a tool.
Related Guides
FAQ
Is the Smithsonian virtual tour free?
Many Smithsonian online resources are free. Check each official page for current details.
Which Smithsonian page is best for students?
Smithsonian Learning Lab and Natural History are strong student starting points.
Where can creators find objects?
Smithsonian Open Access and Smithsonian 3D are useful sources for open object study.