Triceratops skeleton (and baby) at London's Natural History Museum, South Kensington
Photo courtesy Britain on View
Natural History Museum
When: Daily
Where: Natural History Museum
Opening Hours: 10am-5.50pm (from 11am Sun)
Rating:
The Natural History Museum is a must-see for any visitor to London, particularly those with kids in tow. Most famous for its dinosaur skeletons and the incredible life-size reconstruction of a blue whale made in the 1930s, the best thing of all is that it's completely free.
The museum is divided into three zones, Blue, Green and Red. The Red Zone comprises seven separate areas which were created out of the former Geological Museum. Interactive earth sciences can be found at the Power Within, where you can study volcanoes and earthquakes, even checking out a virtual earthquake simulator.
Earth's Treasury is a gallery crammed with precious gemstones and minerals, including a fine diamond collection. Visitors can even bring their own fossil finds for experts to decipher and interpret in the Earth Lab.
The Green and Blue zones are home to the famous displays of dinosaurs and mammals, but steer clear of the interactive Creepy-Crawlies exhibition if you're feeling squeamish.
The Jerwood Gallery was launched to attract an adult audience and is used for natural history art exhibitions and modern art installations.
Tourist Office
Visit London
There are drop-in Tourist Information Centres in Victoria Station, Liverpool St Station, Heathrow near the underground and other venues around London. See their website for details.
Phone: +44 (0)20 7234 5800
Fax: +44 (0)20 7378 6525
