Natural History Museum
South Kensington's free natural history museum, with Hintze Hall, the Dinosaur Gallery, Earth Hall and Volcanoes and Earthquakes, open daily.
About Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum on Cromwell Road is one of London's great free museums, housed in a vast Victorian building in South Kensington. Its central space, Hintze Hall, is the first thing most visitors see, and the galleries spread out from it into the Central Building, East, North and West Wings and the gardens.
The Dinosaur Gallery is the most popular stop for families, and Earth Hall, with its Stegosaurus, leads to the Volcanoes and Earthquakes gallery and Earth's Treasury. The Mammals Hall, Birds Gallery, Human Evolution and the Minerals Gallery with The Vault are all worth time, and the Treasures Gallery gathers some of the museum's most precious objects. The Cocoon in the Darwin Centre shows how scientists work with the collections, and the museum gardens are a haven for wildlife. Temporary exhibitions, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, are listed on the museum's What's on pages.
It suits families, school-age children and adults alike, and pairs easily with the V&A and Science Museum next door. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5.50pm, with last entry at 5.30pm. Entry to the galleries is free, but booking a free ticket guarantees entry, which is wise at weekends and in school holidays.