Family favourites
Round up your family and take a tour to see some of our biggest sights including dinosaurs, whales and volcanoes.
Explore the Museum
Discover what you can see and do in our free galleries, and where you can eat, drink and shop across the Museum.
What would you like to explore?
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Two hour self-guided tours
Whether you're visiting us for the first time or the fiftieth, these self-guided tours will show you the best we have to offer.
Hidden treasures
Even if you've visited us before there's still plenty to discover. This tour guides you through some of our lesser-known treasures and is great for all ages.
Exhibits with impact
Uncover some of our most fascinating stories and learn something new with this engaging tour aimed at adults and solo travellers.
Take an audio-guided tour of Hintze Hall
Sir David Attenborough's unmistakable voice and expertise on all things nature make him the perfect person to take you on an audio-guided tour of Hintze Hall's star specimens.
Six free things to do at the Museum
There is so much for families to explore in the galleries, including your favourite dinosaurs, volcanoes and mammals. Don't miss Andy's clock, the Dinosaur gallery and our earthquake simulator.
15 things to do this winter for adults
Find out what you can do with us during December, January and February? With Museum tours, a brilliant birds exhibition and events to inspire your creative side - there's an activity for everyone.
Our gardens
Scan the pond for dragonflies, follow in the footsteps of our earliest human ancestors and learn what the future of our planet might look like, all in our new gardens.
Open daily
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Telling the incredible stories of life on our planet through powerful photography and expert insight.
New exhibition open now
Visions of Nature
Watch a pine tree grow in a matter of seconds and come face to face with a beluga whale in our new mixed reality experience.
Be transported to the year 2125 and discover how our actions have shaped the future of the natural world.
Open now
What can you find in our galleries?
Dinosaurs and fossils
From prehistoric predators to early humans and fossilised plant life, these specimens tell the incredible story of how life evolved on our planet.
Dinosaurs
The Museum's dinosaurs are world-famous. Meet the roaring T. rex, see the skull of a Triceratops and wander among fossils in the Dinosaurs gallery.
Blue zone
Lasting Impressions
Examine remarkable fossil evidence of long-ago events in the Lasting Impressions gallery.
Red zone
Fern the Diplodocus
Come and say hello to our newest dino-pal, Fern the bronze Diplodocus supported by Kasuma Trust. Standing proud within our newly redesigned gardens, Fern is surrounded by tree ferns, cyciads and a prowling Hypsilophodon.
In the gardens
Fossils from Britain
Trace our fossil record through mud, silt, sand and time. See preserved shark teeth and spot the fossil fakes in the Fossils from Britain gallery.
Green zone
Fossil Marine Reptiles
Find out what was going on in the oceans while dinosaurs dominated the land in the Fossil Marine Reptiles gallery.
Green zone
Human Evolution
Trace the origins and evolution of our species, and explore what makes us human.
Red zone
Animal kingdom
Encounter hippos and hedgehogs, snails and serpents, mice and molluscs in our galleries and discover the incredible diversity of the natural world.
Mammals (blue whale model)
Discover the biggest mammals in the animal kingdom, from extinct mammoths to giant elk and our impressive blue whale model.
Blue zone
Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles
Meet some of the most weird and wonderful water-dwelling species in the Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles gallery.
Blue zone
Mammals
Explore the rich diversity of mammals, from polar bears to pygmy shrews in the Mammals gallery.
Blue zone
Birds
Discover an extinct dodo, our historical hummingbird cabinet and a Victorian avian anatomy display in the Birds gallery.
Green zone
Marine Invertebrates
Investigate the lives of ocean inhabitants in the Marine Invertebrates gallery.
Blue zone
Creepy Crawlies
Satisfy your curiosity for insects, crabs, centipedes and spiders, and explore all things arthropod in the Creepy Crawlies gallery.
Green zone
Earth, minerals and the environment
Take a journey through our spectacular Earth sculpture and find out about the tremendous forces that shape our planet.
Earth Hall and Stegosaurus
Meet our incredible dinosaur specimen, the most intact Stegosaurus fossil skeleton ever found. At three metres tall and almost six metres long, it's a dramatic welcome to Earth Hall.
Red zone
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
Epic forces are at work every day, changing the face of our planet. Explore how the powers within shape the world in which we live.
Red zone
The Vault
Some of nature's most unique and valuable treasures are on display in the Vault gallery. See a piece of the Winchcombe meteorite, from the first meteorite fall to have been recovered in the UK for 30 years.
Green zone
Minerals
Step back in time to see the Museum as it was in 1881 with its original oak display cabinets in the Minerals gallery.
Green zone
Evolution Timeline
Supported by Evolution Education Trust, trace the history of Earth along an immersive timeline of ancient rocks that leads you from the oldest rocks in the UK to the present day.
In the gardens
From the Beginning
Explore the evolution of life on our planet in the From the Beginning gallery.
Red zone
Earth's Treasury
Discover minerals, gemstones and rocks in the Earth's Treasury gallery.
Red zone
Restless Surface
How has wind, water and other weather shaped Earth? And how long has it taken? Find out in the Restless Surface gallery.
Red zone
The history of natural history
Step back in time and explore how our relationship with the natural world has changed.
Hintze Hall Balconies
Look down on Hope the blue whale, discover more about the practice of natural history and get a closer look at our intricate painted ceiling.
Green zone
Treasures
Explore 22 objects spanning 4.5 billion years of Earth's history. Each exhibit tells a remarkable story and has been chosen for its scientific, historical and cultural importance.
Green zone
Images of Nature
See how artists and scientists view the natural world through more than 100 images from the Museum's collection in the Images of Nature gallery.
Blue zone
Our gardens and quieter spaces
Whether you're here for the sights, or seeking a quieter time, there is something for everyone in our galleries.
Our gardens
Scan the pond for dragonflies, follow in the footsteps of our earliest human ancestors and learn what the future of our planet might look like, all in our new gardens.
Museum grounds
Zoology spirit building
With over 23 million specimens stored in alcohol in the spirit collection, see a selection on display next to the Attenborough Studio. This is a public space tucked away from our busier areas.
Orange zone
Contemplation Room
This is a quiet, naturally lit room used for prayer and reflection.
Please speak to our staff in Hintze Hall if you wish to use the room.
Blue zone
The Cocoon
Explore science and nature in the Darwin Centre's Cocoon and meet experts at Attenborough Studio events.
Orange zone
Popular places
Our most popular galleries and spaces are sure to wow big kids and little ones alike.
Hintze Hall
Whale hello there! Walk beneath the largest animal on Earth and explore dozens of other exhibits representing 4.5 billion years of natural history.
Green zone
Dinosaurs
The Museum's dinosaurs are world-famous. Meet the roaring T. rex, see the skull of a Triceratops and wander among fossils in the Dinosaurs gallery.
Blue zone
Andy's clock
See the clock from the CBeebies shows Andy's Dinosaur Adventures and Andy's Prehistoric Adventures in the Central Cafe near Hintze Hall.
Blue zone
Gallery closures and maintenance works
Sometimes we need to close galleries and spaces around the Museum to allow for essential maintenance or events.
Last updated 19 February 2025
Closed spaces include:
- Investigate Centre is currently closed.
- There will be scaffolding across the front of the Museum until March 2025 while we restore and care for the building's façade. It will be noisy at times and we apologise for the disruption.
- There is scaffolding and hoarding in the Earth Hall while we repair the escalator. You can still get up to the first and second floors of the Red Zone via the stairs.
Lifts:
- The upper floors of the Red Zone are currently only accessible by stairs, as the lift is out of order.
- A number of lifts in the Darwin Centre are out of order. Please speak to a member of staff at the Museum for more information on which lifts are available.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Eat, drink and shop
Roaming the galleries can be exhausting stuff, so why not rest and refuel in one of our cafes? There's a selection of fresh food and hot and cold drinks available. Browse the shops for dinosaur- and other nature-inspired gifts.
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