Mission, Vision, & Values
What Sets the National Museum of Natural History Apart?
- Photography Credits: Valerie Bruchon, Chip Clark, Karolyn Darrow, James Di Loreto, Encyclopedia of Life, Donald E. Hurlbert, Ali Khawaja, Mehgan Murphy, John Steiner, Joseph Talman, Don Wilson, Young-ku Yang, and Christian Ziegler, Smithsonian Institution.
For an overview of the National Museum of Natural History, please download our brochure (PDF)
Direction & Strategy:
For information about the Museum's direction and stategy, see Understanding Our World: 2004 - 2009 Strategic Plan for the National Museum of Natural History (PDF)
Mission
We inspire curiosity, discovery, and learning about nature and culture through outstanding research, collections, exhibitions, and education.
Vision
Understanding the natural world and our place in it.
Values
DEDICATION: We exemplify unqualified dedication, responsibility, and commitment to our work, our colleagues, our departments, and the institution we serve. As public servants we work for the public good but, at the same time, we recognize the special status of the Smithsonian Institution as an independent organization that supports academic freedom.
DIVERSITY: Our staffing, research, exhibition and public programs must reflect the diversity of interests, backgrounds, interpretations, and viewpoints that form the bedrock of America. Respect for one another -- our co-workers, guests, clients, customers and colleagues -- must guide our behavior as a fundamental principle.
EXCELLENCE: Excellence stands at the core of all that we do, including our scholarship, collections care, and exhibition and education programs. We value and recognize quality results brought about through individual initiative and creativity.
INTEGRITY: Those who work for the National Museum of Natural History must be committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, honesty, trust, and openness, with our colleagues, our supervisors, our employees, and our visitors.
RELEVANCE: The Museum has special responsibilities to address scientific issues of relevance to our society and the world, such as the preservation of biological and cultural diversity and the impact of global environmental change.
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