The Natural History Museum is one of the most fun museums in London to visit, especially if you are traveling with small children.
Below you will find 10 reasons why.
Before you visit the Natural History Museum, remember to book a free ticket. Although the museum accepts walk-ins on most days, it’s better to book tickets on its website to avoid the queues and guarantee entry.
Map of the Natural History Museum
Determining how much time you need to visit the Natural History Museum can be challenging. I recommend a minimum of 2 hours to get a good overview.
See also guides for other popular museums in London: British Museum, V&A.
Why Should You Visit the Natural History Museum?
1. Beautiful building of the museum
One of the main reasons to visit this museum is to see its building; both outside and inside area stunning.
Although the origins of the museum stretch back to 1753, its current building first opened in 1881.
The so-called ‘cathedral of nature’ resembles Hogwarts and has also been featured in the first Paddington film.
2. Enormous collection of items
The museum houses approximately 80 million specimens spanning over 4 billion years, showcasing Earth’s natural history.
The collection covers various disciplines such as botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology, and zoology.
3. 25.2-metre blue whale skeleton
The museum welcomes visitors with an impressive 25.2-meter-long skeleton of the largest animal that ever lived.
The skeleton of the blue whale is suspended in the air!
4. The museum’s Dinosaurs section
The dinosaur section at the Natural History Museum features an impressive array of fossil specimens that showcase the diversity and history of dinosaurs.
Visitors can explore life-sized models of iconic dinosaurs displayed in dynamic poses.
This section offers an educational and immersive experience for visitors of all ages!
5. Experience an earthquake!
The Volcanoes and Earthquakes sections of the museum include a simulator that allows you to experience an earthquake similar to the one in Kobe, Japan, in 1995.
6. Charles Darwin’s historical specimens
The museum’s collection includes historical specimens collected by Charles Darwin, one of the greatest British scientists who ever lived.
His theory of evolution by natural selection revolutionized the understanding of biological diversity.
Initially, his radical theories brought him into conflict with members of the Church of England, but after his death, he was honored with burial in Westminster Abbey.
7. Giant sequoia
If you ascend the staircase to the upper levels of Hintze Hall, you’ll encounter a slice of a 1,300-year-old sequoia.
This majestic tree stood 101 meters tall when it fell and has been part of the museum’s collection since 1893.
8. Minerals gallery
The Natural History Museum’s geological collections encompass everything from seemingly ordinary grey rocks that reveal the origins of the Earth and solar system, to stunning gems with intriguing histories and famous collectors.
9. See 10,000-year-old Briton
Cheddar Man is Britain’s oldest near-complete human skeleton, which was found in 1903 in Cheddar Gorge, Britain.
You can find it in the Human Evolution gallery.
10. Bird collections
The bird collections at the Natural History Museum are amongst the most comprehensive in the world, and those on display are beautifully arranged!
Well, you’ve reached the end of this post! I hope you enjoyed it.
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