Must-Visit Museum in London: The Natural History Museum
Besides the British Museum and the V&A Museum, a must-visit museum in London is of course the Natural History Museum. Located in South Kensington, London, this attraction, resembling a medieval cathedral, houses 80 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, and minerals, making it the largest natural history museum in Europe and a top London attraction recommended by The London Pass.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
In April 1881, the museum first opened as part of the British Museum. It became independent in 1963 and was officially renamed the Natural History Museum in 1992. Its building is one of the most striking examples of Romanesque architecture in the UK and has become one of London's most iconic landmarks.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
With a total floor area of over 40,000 square meters, the museum's exhibits cover entomology, botany, zoology, paleontology, and mineralogy. Present your London Pass at the information desk to receive a full-color commemorative booklet with beautiful photos. Then, follow the exhibition map to your favorite galleries and enjoy a wonderful day at one of London's top museums.
In the museum's four zones, you can travel back to different historical periods and freely explore a vast variety of plants and animals:
— From dinosaurs to mammals, this is an ideal place to explore the biodiversity of Earth.
The world-famous Dinosaur Gallery is the most popular attraction at the London Natural History Museum. Besides encountering a lifelike roaring Tyrannosaurus rex, you can also see a Triceratops skull and stroll among fossil groups in the Dinosaur Gallery, imagining what a Jurassic world teeming with dinosaurs must have been like.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
The Mammals Gallery is the largest collection of mammals on Earth. Suspended from the ceiling are a blue whale model, other whale skeletons, and replicas, while on the ground are displays of extinct mammoths, giant deer, giraffes, hippos, horses, and more.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
The Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles Gallery showcases some of the strangest and most wonderful species in the ocean. You can learn what was found in the stomach of a Nile crocodile, see how fish illuminate the depths of the ocean, and uncover the secrets of the Indian python's spine.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
Marine invertebrates are incredibly diverse. This gallery features beautiful shells, starfish, corals, and mollusks. You can also discover the deep-sea secrets of the vampire squid and the feeding habits of various marine organisms.
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— Follow Earth's evolutionary steps and stroll beneath a 25.2-meter-long blue whale skeleton.
In Hintze Hall, located at the very center of the building, hangs the museum's star exhibit—a 25.2-meter-long blue whale skeleton. The specimens and exhibits here also include the American mastodon, seaweed, rocks as old as the solar system, Atlantic blue marlin, a Mantellisaurus fossil from 122 to 129 million years ago, a 120-year-old stony coral, and more.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
The Birds Gallery displays extinct dodos, nesting birds dating back to 1883, various bird eggs, and Victorian-era bird anatomy displays.
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If you're interested in creepy-crawlies, don't miss the Creepy-Crawlies Gallery. It will satisfy your curiosity about insects, crabs, centipedes, spiders, and all arthropods.
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In the Minerals Gallery, where oak display cabinets exude an old-world charm, both raw minerals and sparkling gems will make you exclaim "Wow!" You'll marvel at their colors, textures, and shapes, and want to learn how they formed. Notable exhibits include a 635 kg iron meteorite that fell in Argentina in 1783 and a flawless blue topaz weighing 9381 carats (about 1.8762 kg).
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
— Journey through Earth to understand the immense forces that shaped our planet.
Want to experience a dramatic history of Earth? In the Earth Hall, surrounded by celestial maps on the walls, you can explore various gems and minerals. It also houses a 3-meter-tall, nearly 6-meter-long Stegosaurus skeleton—the most complete Stegosaurus fossil skeleton ever found.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
How did humans evolve? Meet our ancient relatives in the Human Evolution Gallery. Embark on a journey spanning seven million years, tracing the origins and evolution of species, and discover what makes us human.
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In the Earth's Treasury Gallery, glittering exhibits range from gold nuggets to Stonehenge and kryptonite. A dazzling array of mineral specimens in every color showcases Earth's wonders.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
— Learn about scientists' work at the Darwin Centre and enjoy peaceful moments in the Wildlife Garden.
Indoors, the Darwin Centre houses a variety of plant and animal specimens, and you can also observe scientists conducting experiments. Outdoors, the Wildlife Garden is home to thousands of British plant and animal species, offering captivating scenery in every season.
Image source: Natural History Museum, London
The London Natural History Museum has many more galleries and exhibits. Welcome to explore them yourself!
Museum address: Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London
Visiting hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 – 17:50
Admission: Free; receive a commemorative booklet with your London Pass.
