The Natural History Museum, founded in 1754 and moved to its current location in 1881, was first built on the scientific collections of Sir Hans Sloane. Alfred Waterhouse created the museum, a grandiose Romanesque-style structure that is 675 feet long and has two towers that are 190 feet tall. Terra-cotta slabs with animal relief sculptures cover the façade.
Its original library of more than 50,000 books, 10,000 preserved animals, and 334 volumes of pressed plant species are among its numerous relics. Since then, the collection of the library has expanded to approximately 80 million objects that includes zoology, paleontology, minerals, entomology, and botany. 500,000 new items are added per year.
What to do at the Natural History Museum?
- Whales and other animals and extinct creatures are featured in the northwest quadrant of the ground level. Other noteworthy sights include displays about the first animals that have walked the Earth and Australian creatures (living and extinct).
- The Earth Hall is home to a sizable and fascinating library of information on global geology and minerals. There are frequent talks and movie screenings on specific topics, and in the Main Hall, a revolving globe with a six-foot diameter serves as a constant reminder of the museum's mission to convey the ‘Story of the Earth.’
- The Darwin Center is the most recent addition to the museum. It is renowned for its form, which resembles a giant eight-story cocoon. It is home to millions of preserved specimens and offers many educational possibilities. In addition to Archie, the museum's well-known gigantic squid, the building contains its entomology and botanical collections.
- The magnificent Zoology building will let you explore the building's roughly 17 kilometers of the specimen and book-stacked shelves. These shelves include treasures gathered by Charles Darwin.
- The Central Cafe offers a variety of pastries, cakes, salads, and sandwiches in the Blue Zone.
- The Kitchen is another great place to get a fast bite and is situated in the red zone. Along with kid-friendly lunch options and activity packs, sandwiches, wraps, and salads are available.
- The Darwin Center Cafe, which offers a limited menu of food, is located in the orange zone.
- Hummingbird Bakery: The ever-popular Hummingbird Bakery has a location close by that sells delectable cupcakes, pies, and other tasty delicacies made in the United States.