Smithsonian Institute They gave the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution on November 10, 1958, and the enormous blue stone quickly became its main attraction. Since its donation, the Hope diamond has only left the Smithsonian four times. It was displayed at the National Museum of Natural History for three years from 1959 until 1961, then traveled to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City for one year, from 1962 to 1963. In 1964, it returned to Washington, D.C., where it remains today. In addition to being very rare, the Hope diamond is also extremely valuable. The gem has been estimated to be worth as much as $500 million today. It's the most expensive jewel in the world. The diamond was once owned by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. When he died in 1826, he left his estate - which at that time consisted of more than 5,000 acres of land and approximately 200,000 dollars in government bonds - to his daughter Polly. She married John Adams, the second president, who had also been a friend of Thomas Jefferson's. After her death, her son Thomas Jefferson Jr. inherited the estate but no children were born to John and Polly Adams. So, the federal government decided to use their funds to honor America's first president by purchasing the land he had left behind. This act allowed future generations of Americans to benefit from Mr.