Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is a cathedral to nature, housed in Alfred Waterhouse's terracotta dream. In Hintze Hall, a 25-metre blue whale called Hope sweeps overhead, replacing the beloved Diplodocus cast to spotlight ocean conservation. Nearby, dinosaurs roar for children and fossil lovers alike, while minerals and meteorites shimmer with Earth's geology. The Darwin Centre's eight-storey Cocoon reveals how scientists actually work, storing millions of specimens for future research. It's free to enter; book a timed ticket in peak months. Map your visit by colour-zoned wings-Blue for life, Red for Earth, Green for birds and ecology-and start early if dinosaurs are a must. Bring water, take balcony views of Hope, and allow two to three unhurried hours.
Opening Hours
What's not to miss inside?
Hintze Hall Whale
Iconic blue whale skeletonSuspended in 2017, the 25-metre blue whale ‘Hope’ replaced the famous Diplodocus cast to highlight ocean conservation.
📍 Hintze Hall, central nave
Dinosaurs Gallery
Crowd-favourite fossilsFrom a roaring T. rex to fossil skulls, this gallery traces 230 million years of evolution and extinction.
📍 Blue Zone, Ground Floor
Minerals and Gems
Stunning crystals and meteoritesThousands of specimens reveal Earth’s chemistry, including iron meteorites that travelled millions of kilometres.
📍 Red Zone, Upper Floor
Darwin Centre Cocoon
Behind-the-scenes scienceOpened in 2009, this eight-storey ‘Cocoon’ houses 22 million specimens and working labs visible to visitors.
📍 Orange Zone
Earth Hall Escalator
Journey through the planetA glowing escalator carries you through a metallic globe into galleries on volcanoes, quakes and deep time.
📍 Red Zone, entrance
Inspire your Friends
- The museum opened in 1881 and now holds about 80 million specimens.
- ‘Hope’ the blue whale measures around 25 metres and was installed in 2017.
- The Darwin Centre Cocoon, opened in 2009, stores 22 million insect and plant specimens.
- In 2023 the museum welcomed roughly 5.7 million visitors, among the UK’s busiest attractions.
- The museum’s Romanesque building by Alfred Waterhouse uses 12 million terracotta tiles.
