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Gift Planning

A Lasting Gift for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Link your legacy with the Museum. A gift in your will or estate plan ensures that we can continue to inspire curiosity about the natural world through our unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs well into the future.

Become a valued member of the Museum’s family with a gift in your estate.

Learn about our Legacy Society »

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Planned Gifts

Inspire future Museum visitors with a gift that extends beyond your lifetime.

Wills and Living Trusts

You can ensure your support for the Natural History Museum continues on by including a gift in your will or living trust.

Beneficiary Designations

Find increased flexibility in your giving by naming the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as a beneficiary in your estate plan.

Charitable Gift Annuities

There's a way for you to support the Museum and feel confident that you have dependable income in your retirement years. You can do this with a charitable gift annuity.

This type of donation can provide you with regular payments and allow us to further our work. You can also qualify for a variety of tax benefits, including a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize.

Additional Gifts

There are many other types of planned gifts that may fit your long-term goals and help secure the future for you and your family, as well as the Museum. To learn more, please contact Virginia Kromm, Associate Director for Advancement, at NMNH-Advancement@si.edu.

Sample Language for Your Will

I give [____% of the residue of my estate], or [the sum of ________ dollars] to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., for its general purposes [or program].

Tax ID: #53-0206027

Contact Us

We would be happy to illustrate how your gift makes an impact at the Museum. Simply contact Virginia Kromm, Associate Director for Advancement, at 202-633-0821 or NMNH-Advancement@si.edu.

Virginia Kromm, Associate Director for Advancement, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
African animal gallery

Did you know?

The museum is the size of 18 football fields.