Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is the United Kingdom's national museum of natural history and is a centre of scientific excellence in taxonomy and biodiversity. It houses unrivalled collections of plants, animals, minerals and fossils.
It began as an offshoot of the British Museum but shortage of space became a major problem and in 1860 it was decided to house the Natural History collection separately.
Alfred Waterhouse was commissioned to design a new museum in South Kensington which opened in 1881.
The life and earth science collections of the museum comprise some 68 million specimens or items that cover virtually all groups of animals, plants, minerals and fossils.
The science departments include botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. The museum is housed in a vast and elaborate Romanesque style building faced with terracotta slabs bearing animals, birds and fish molded in relief
Monday to Saturday from 10am until 5.50pm.
Sunday from 11am until 5.50pm.
Location
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
SW7
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7942 5011
Nearest Tube / Rail Station
South Kensington
Bus Routes
14, 49, 70, 74, 345, C1
Access
Disabled access is via the Earth Galleries entrance. Guide dogs are welcome.