National Museum of Natural History
Our Places: Connecting People and Nature
Reflect on stories of humans and nature, and share your own story in this map from the Our Places: Connecting Humans and Nature exhibition.
The Smithsonian's Life on a Sustainable Planet initiative envisions a future in which humanity lives in balance with the natural world. The health of our planet and all living things are undeniably linked. Our scientists and researchers are working every day to understand the science behind our connected world and discover solutions to protect animals and ecosystems, mitigate the impact of climate change, investigate the connections between human health, the health of our communities, and all life on our planet.
Connecting Communities and Nature
How do you feel connected to nature? Understanding our place in nature can help us create a world where all life on Earth can thrive.
Human Health and the Environment
Clean water, air, and a healthy natural environment is essential for human health. Social movements have defined America's history, and the environment has been a central focus of many, from the antipollution movement of the Progressive Era to the first Earth Day in 1970 to the dawn of the the Environmental Justice Movement in the early 1980s. Communities working together can ensure all people have access to a healthy natural environment no matter where they live.
Human and Animal Health
Human and animal health go hand in hand. Not only do we share many of the same needs for survival, we share many of the same illnesses. The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Global Health Program and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s Interconnected Health Initiative research questions about nature that can help improve public health. Smithsonian collections also play a role—the National Museum of Natural History houses the largest mosquito collection in the world, which researchers use to study mosquito-borne illnesses. And the National Museum of American History studies the history of infectious disease and our response to it.
Human Impacts on the Environment
Individual and community-wide actions of humans impact the environment on a small and large scale. From human-caused climate change to pollution and habitat destruction. Measuring these impacts and ecosystem baselines are an important part of tracking impacts and thinking about solutions.
