Natural History Museum

Dinosaurs

• 31 July 2000 — 22 February 2015 *on now

Meet a terrifying T-rex, unearth Baryonyx bones and inspect the Triceratops skeleton in our world-renowned Dinosaurs gallery. Sort the facts from the myths about why dinosaurs died out and delve into our research and discoveries about these prehistoric giants.

Suitable for

• Any age

Cocoon

• 22 February 2011 — 22 February 2015 *on now

Travel through the Cocoon experience deep into the heart of the collections to glimpse the working life of our scientists. See the previously hidden world of scientific research through viewing decks, video, intercom and more than 40 high-tech installations and hands-on interactive activities. Visitors will be able to interact with learning activators stationed throughout Cocoon and discover more about scientific techniques used in labs at Science Focus activity points near the viewing decks

Suitable for

• Any age

The Vault

• 4 September 2011 — 22 February 2015 *on now

Highlights include a collection of 296 naturally coloured diamonds known as the Aurora Pyramid of Hope, Medusa, a giant, one-of-a-kind emerald from Zambia, and Tissint, a Martian meteorite that landed in Morocco last year

Suitable for

• Any age

Investigate Centre

• 22 February 2013 — 22 February 2015 *on now

Become a scientist in our hands-on education space where you can examine hundreds of real natural history specimens.

Suitable for

• Any age

Treasures

• 22 February 2013 — 22 February 2015 *on now

See 22 of the most valuable and significant items in the Museum’s collection. This cabinet of curiosities includes unique, famous and surprising specimens from the worlds of botany, mineralogy, zoology and palaeontology. Highlights include Charles Darwin’s pigeons, which provided him with the crucial evidence for the theory of evolution by natural selection, and the skull of a Barbary lion, which is thought to have lived in the Tower of London around 1280–1385

Suitable for

• Any age

Images of Nature

• 24 February 2013 — 22 February 2015 *on now

Indulge your passion for natural history, botanical illustration and scientific investigation. This permanent gallery showcases highlights from the Museum’s extensive collection of prints, watercolours and oil paintings, alongside intriguing scientific images. The art of India is the theme for this year’s temporary exhibition, which showcases Indian botanical and zoological watercolours commissioned by those working for the British East India Company during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Also on display is a modern response to this work by contemporary Indian artist Sunoj D

Suitable for

• Any age

Experience the dramatic story of ancient Britain, its changing landscapes and the people who lived here. This major exhibition showcases more than 200 specimens, including lifelike models of a Neanderthal and a Homo sapiens, as well as amazing archaeological finds like the world's oldest wooden spear.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/britain-million-years/index.html

Britain: One Million Years of the Human Story

• 13 February — 28 September 2014 *on now

Travel back in time and experience the dramatic story of prehistoric Britain, its changing landscapes and the people that lived here one million years ago.

Find out how Britain looked long before the Romans, Saxons and Vikings arrived and discover rarely seen specimens from behind the scenes, brought to life using the latest scientific techniques and life-size models.

Incredible finds from sites around Britain will reveal what life was really like one million years ago.

Please note: this exhibition is ticketed. Please purchase tickets in advance. Adults £9.00, Children/Concessions £4.50. Please visit venue's website to book tickets and for information about family concessions.

Suitable for

• Any age

Admission

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/britain-million-years/index.html

Sensational Butterflies

• 3 April — 14 September 2014 *on now

Experience the wonder of walking among hundreds of free-flying butterflies this spring when our tropical butterfly house returns to the Natural History Museum. This family-friendly exhibition allows you to wander through a tropical enclosure, discovering the science behind these delicate creatures and their amazing life cycles as they evolve from crawling caterpillars into beautiful butterflies. Book your tickets now to come and see them take flight

Suitable for

• Any age

Mammoths: Ice Age Giants

• 23 May 2014 — 23 May 2015 *on now

Enter the amazing world of some of the largest creatures to ever walk the earth. See huge fossils and life-size models of mammoths, and square up to the powerful trunks and tusks of these great beasts.

You’ll even be able to try out life as a mammoth: tusk jousting, trunk moving and feeling the weight of the hundreds of kilogrammes of food a mammoth ate each day – equivalent to about 230 bags of sugar.

The exhibition will take you on an inspiring journey from the time when these titans roamed the land through to today’s research into the causes of mammoth extinction and ways to protect their precious modern relatives, the elephants

Suitable for

• Any age

Admission

Dino Snores for Grown Ups: The ultimate sleepover

• 22 — 23 August 2014 7pm-9:30am
• 25 — 26 October 2014 7pm-9:30am

Museums at Night: Ever wondered what happens when the doors close at one of the world’s most famous sites dedicated to natural history? Now you can find out for yourself at Dino Snores for Grown Ups, one of the UK’s most extraordinary sleepovers. This unique sleepover offers an unforgettable night of music, art, science and cinema, all in the mysterious setting of the Museum at night.

All you need to enjoy the night is an enquiring mind, a sense of adventure and a sleeping bag, of course.

Suitable for

• 18+
• Not suitable for children

Admission

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/after-hours//dino-snores-grown-ups/

Get a feel for how scientists work by having a go yourself. Come and explore hundreds of real nature specimens that form the evidence Museum scientists use in their daily work. Museum Science Educator staff are on hand to help you look closely at real objects using the many tools provided. Bring your own questions, or use some of ours in this hands-on science space.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Admission

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/learning/investigate_for_families.html?date=19.07.2014

Enjoy our galleries, relax in the Central Hall with drinks and a meal, and listen to live music. It's free to attend Lates evenings although you need to buy tickets for our exhibitions and special events.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/lates_with_mastercard.html?date=25.07.2014

Get a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the 27 kilometres of shelves, 22 million specimens, and cutting-edge scientific research in the extended Darwin Centre's Zoology spirit building.

Suitable for

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/learning_tours/spirit_collection_tours_-_extended.html?date=11.07.2014

Interact with the science of nature like never before in the state-of-the-art cocoon building. Take a self-guided tour and witness real specimens, incredible displays and thrilling interactive activities. Get up close to scientists at work.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/cocoon.html?date=20.07.2014

Ocean, Ice and African Plains - a multi screen immersive experience in a particular habitat based on High definition footage from the BBC Natural History Unit. Experience what it's like to be an animal on the African Plain, swimming through the ocean, what life is like in the Arctic and Antarctic Poles.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/wildscapes.html?date=14.07.2014

Celebrate Sir David Attenborough's achievements and enjoy some of the best-loved clips from his landmark BBC TV series. Narrated by Simon King, presenter of BBC Springwatch.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/david_attenborough%3A_life_on_camera.html?date=11.07.2014

Go back in time from black and white to colour as you watch Nature through the Lens. Featuring stunning close-ups of insects and extraordinary time-lapse photography, this fascinating 15-minute documentary marks key breakthroughs in wildlife film-making over the past 100 years.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/nature_through_the_lens.html?date=14.07.2014

Find out who you really are and where you come from in our innovative, interactive film about evolution, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The film is shown daily in the Attenborough Studio. Sit back and take part in a virtual journey where you'll see a dinosaur and an early human brought to life before your eyes, thanks to cutting-edge technology. Experience augmented reality - the blending of computer graphics into real life - like you've never seen it before.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/who_do_you_think_you_really_are%3F_interactive_film.html?date=14.07.2014

Cutting Edge: Workshop for Families

• 24 July 2014 11:30am-4pm

Investigate teeth and diet using our amazing animal skulls. Handle real specimens, take part in fun group activities, and see how Museum palaeontologists use skulls find out about dinosaur diets. this workshop will run at 11:30, 13:15 and 15:15.

Suitable for

• 5-6
• 11-13
• 7-10

Fossil Hunting in Morocco

• 23 July 2014 12:30-3pm *on now

Deep in the dry, dusty Moroccan desert palaeontologists are hard at work. The site of an ancient ocean, scientists are digging here to find some of the oldest ancestors of starfish and sea urchins. Join us as we speak to a scientist who has just returned from the field to discover what fossil finds they have uncovered and what these can tell us about the evolution and diversity of such a peculiar group of animals. This talk will take place at 12:30 and 14:30. Q and A included.

Suitable for

• 18+

Handle real fossil specimens from the Museum's collection including fossils, teeth, and claws, and learn how to identify them at this free activity. Put what you've learnt to the test in the Fossil Marine Reptiles gallery in the Blue Zone. Science Educators are at hand to take you back millions of years to explore which prehistoric reptiles can be called dinosaurs by looking carefully for the evidence. Could you meet a dinosaur today?

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/learning/hands_on_nature_-_dinosaurs.html?date=24.07.2014

When Maisie finds an odd-looking tooth under her pillow, she's determined to discover who it belongs to. Come and find out how a time-travelling tooth fairy takes Maisie back to the Ice Age on an adventure she'll never forget.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/learning/puppets_-_maisie_and_the_mammoth_tooth.html?date=24.07.2014

The image of an extinct hairy elephant-like creature with curved tusks often springs to mind when we think of the Ice Age. But what do we really know about these fascinating creatures? Join us as we go on a whistle-stop tour of all things mammoth, from their lifestyle and evolution to their diet and ultimate demise.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/naturelive/mammoth%3A_king_of_the_ice_age.html?date=24.07.2014

Join us in the myth-busting game to find out some facts about the Ice Age and mammoths. Discover the differences between mammoths and elephants. Learn to draw a mammoth and touch real mammoth specimens.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/learning/hands_on_nature_-_mammoths.html?date=25.07.2014

Before you visit the Britain: One Million Years of the Human Story exhibition after hours, join Museum scientists including Chris Stringer to explore the similarities between people living in ancient Britain with the rest of the world. During the past one million years human species have spread across the world, living in diverse environments, developing social cultures and interacting with their surroundings. Museum researchers study their traces to better understand the origins of the human species, from their appearance and lifestyle, to when and where they lived.Upon arrival at the Red Zone entrance on Exhibition Road from 18.15, you will be given your ticket to the Britain: One Million Years of the Human Story exhibition, to redeem after the discussion event. Exhibition tickets will be for 21.00, 21.15 or 21.30 entry times. Please note, all the 21.00 tickets will be distributed first, followed by 21.15 and then 21.30, on a first come first served basis. The discussion will begin in the Flett Theatre at 19.00, ending at 20.45. A bar will be open before the event. On Friday 25 July the Museum will be open until 22.30, with bars open until 22.00.

Suitable for

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/nhm/britain_and_beyond.html?date=25.07.2014

Nature Live: Secrets of the Sand

• 25 July 2014 12:30-1pm

Come and find out about the beautiful and diverse tiny shells and other remains hidden in the sand on your summer beach. Discover how to look for and identify small shells and be amazed by the surprising remains of sea creatures you can find.

Suitable for

• Family friendly
• Any age

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/naturelive/secrets_of_the_sand.html?date=18.07.2014

Museum scientists have discovered the existence of a Mini-Mammoth that once lived on the Greek island of Crete. Join us as we find out more about this incredible animal and how it was found. Uncover why it shrunk to the size of a baby elephant and how living on an island can cause a strange phenomenon which has affected many other species too.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/events/programs/naturelive/the_mini_mammoths_of_crete.html?date=26.07.2014

Bonobos: Cousins in the Congo

• 27 July 2014 12:30-3pm

With hardly time to clean the mud from her boots, Zanna Clay returns to the museum to reveal her findings about chimpanzee-lookalikes the bonobos in the Congo, and what the future holds for them. Q and A included. This workshop will take place at 12:30 and 14:30.

Suitable for

• Any age

Marvellous Moths

• 28 July 2014 12:30-3pm

What's the difference between a moth and a butterfly? Can moths be colourful too? And how big can they get? Meet our moth curator and join us as we reveal some of the most impressive and beautiful moths in our collections. This workshop will take place at 12:30 and 14:30.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 14-15
• 18+
• 11-13
• 16-17

Big Bugs

• 29 July 2014 12:30-3pm

What is the heaviest insect in the world? Which one has the greatest wingspan? What bug can break a pencil with its jaws? Join us as we come face-to-face with some of the world's largest and most spectacular bugs. This talk will talk place at 12:30 and 14:30. Q and A included.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 14-15
• 18+
• 11-13
• 16-17

Life in the Swamp

• 30 July 2014 12:30-3pm

The flooded peat forests of Malaysia and Indonesia are unique areas. Scientists are just beginning to realise how many unknown species exist within this watery new world. Join museum scientist Ellie Adamson, who reveals her recent discoveries in the field. The talk will take place at 12:30 and 14:30. Q and A included.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 14-15
• 18+
• 11-13
• 16-17