Natural History Museum
- Cromwell Road (map of this place)
- SW7 5BD
- nhm.ac.uk
The Natural History Museum in South Kensington is perhaps the largest and most spectacular of all London's varied museums.
It contains no exhibits created by Man — just the works of Nature. This includes items as varied as dinosaur skeletons, blue whales, meteorites, minerals, and more.
Even the building, known as the Waterhouse building, is worth visiting as it features similar high Victorian architecture to St Pancras Hotel and an excellent cast-iron roof. The new [Darwin Centre]? next door features more modern architecture, having been completed in 2003.
Currently entrance to this and many other London museums is free, but you are encouraged to make a donation, and have to pay for electronic tours.
There are frequently special exhibitions such as the current "T-Rex: the killer question" and "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" which charge admission; the excellent "Earth from the Air" photography exhibition is in the museum grounds on the corner of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road (just outside the NHM tube exit). Exhibitions and events are all listed on the museum web site.
You can enter on [Cromwell Road]? or on Exhibition Road.
The museum won an award for being Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.
Getting there
- Tube: South Kensington station on the Piccadilly, Circle and District Lines. A subway links the station to the corner of the museum grounds.
- Bus: Coming from central London or heading out towards Earl's Court or Clapham Junction, there is a stop on Cromwell Road directly opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Heading back into London or arriving from the west, there is a stop directly outside the V&A. These stops are served by the [14]? (West End), 74 (Marble Arch, Baker St), [414]? (Marble Arch, Edgware Rd) and [C1]? (Sloane Square, Victoria).
All other buses serving South Kensington stop at the tube station.