Natural History Museum London: Highlights, Opening Hours, Prices and How to Get There

Contents

Highlights of the Natural History Museum in London
Essential information about the Natural History Museum, London
Getting to the Natural History Museum in London

Highlights of the Natural History Museum in London

The Natural History Museum is a natural history museum in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Several museums are clustered around the Natural History Museum in London, including the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

When it comes to museums in the United Kingdom, the British Museum is famous, butits natural history department became independent and gave rise tothe Natural History Museum in London.

Centered on Hinze Hall, the area is divided into zones in 4 colors: the Green Zone and Red Zone to the east, and the Blue Zone and Orange Zone to the west.

The Orange Zone consists of the Darwin Centre, adjacent to the main building, and an outdoor wildlife park.

As with many other museums in the United Kingdom, admission is free.

Hintze Hall

Hintze Hall is the main hall of the Natural History Museum in London. The skeleton of a blue whale is displayed as if suspended from the ceiling. It is nicknamed Hope, meaning “hope”.

Hintze Hall was formerly known simply as Central Hall. After receiving a donation of 500 ten-thousand pounds from businessman and philanthropist Sir Michael Hintze, it was renamed with its current name in 2017.

This is a mastodon skeleton specimen. Mastodons closely resemble mammoths, but they are different animals. Mastodons are classified in the order Proboscidea, family Mammutidae, and genus Mammut, while mammoths are classified in the order Proboscidea, family Elephantidae, and genus Mammuthus. Mammoths are more closely related to modern elephants.

This is a stone statue of Charles Darwin, known for proposing the theory of evolution. The Natural History Museum in London also houses specimens collected by Darwin, as well as a first edition of On the Origin of Species.

Blue Zone

This is a model of a gigantic blue whale. Its sheer scale is breathtaking.

A moving model of Tyrannosaurus rex, also known as T. rex. It is very popular with children.

This is a model of Deinonychus. In 1964, fossils of Deinonychus were discovered by the American paleontologist John Ostrom. This is said to be the most important fossil discovery in history.

The skeletal similarities between Deinonychus and birds provided strong support for the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs. There is no evidence that Deinonychus had feathers, but because traces of feathers have been found in other dinosaurs, the model was created as a “feathered Deinonychus.”

Red Zone

This is a globally rare skeleton specimen of Stegosaurus.

The Red Zone explains how internal forces of the Earth, such as volcanoes and earthquakes, change the surface, alongside displays of rocks and minerals. Visitors can learn through videos, specimens and interactive exhibits, including an earthquake simulator that recreates the shaking of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

Green Zone

A fossil skeleton of Plesiosaurus. It was discovered in 1821 by the British paleontologist Mary Anning. Because she was a working-class woman, she received no academic recognition during her lifetime.

Her life is portrayed in the film “Ammonite” (Ammonite). Mary is played by Kate Winslet.

This is a Megatherium skeleton specimen. Megatherium is closely related to sloths. It is also called a “giant ground sloth.”

This is a model of a false gharial, a crocodilian native to Southeast Asia. The Green Zone features displays including taxidermied birds and reptile models.

This is a model of the African egg-eating snake (Dasypeltis scabra). In Japan, snakes such as the Japanese rat snake can also be observed swallowing bird eggs whole, but the African egg-eating snake is an unusual snake thateats only bird eggs.

After swallowing the egg whole, it cracks the shell with projections on its vertebrae and deftly spits only the shell out of its mouth.

This is a model of a frog called Pipa pipa (Surinam toad), which lives in the Amazon Basin of South America. Female Pipa pipa hatch their eggs on their own backs and raise the young there until they develop from tadpoles into frogs. The species is also known as the pouched frog.

This is an artwork called Museum of the Moon. It has toured various locations around the world since 2016 and was exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London in 2019. (The exhibition has now ended.)

Essential information about the Natural History Museum, London

The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.

🔗 Official website

You can check opening hours, closure dates, free admission tickets, special exhibitions, and the opening status of the galleries here.

Visit | Natural History Museum

Get a free ticket or become a Member to skip the queues.

📍 Address

Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD

🕒 Opening hours

Daily 10:00–17:50 (last admission 17:30)

🚫 Closure dates

December 24–26. The temporary closure on October 9, 2026 has ended.⚠️ Galleries may close for maintenance or events. Creepy Crawlies is currently closed while it is being converted into a family gallery. The Cocoon may close at short notice because of staff shortages.

💶 Admission

Permanent galleries free
Special exhibitions and events charged depending on the content

🎫 Admission reservations

Booking a free admission ticket in advance guarantees entry even during busy periods. You may enter without a reservation if space is available, but waiting times can occur, especially on weekends and during school holidays. Paid special exhibitions and events require a separate ticket.

⏱️ Recommended time

Allow about 2–3 hours to choose and visit the main permanent exhibitions. If you want to explore the extensive galleries in detail, plan for half a day.⚠️ The permanent exhibitions are extensive and arranged by subject, so plan which galleries you want to see. If you are also visiting a special exhibition or event, checking the reservation time is recommended.

Getting to the Natural History Museum in London

South Kensington station is served by the Piccadilly, District and Circle lines. The Central Entrance via East Gate and the East Entrance are about 5 minutes' walk away. The station is not step-free.

The Central Entrance can be accessed by ramp from the East Gate at the corner of Cromwell Road and Exhibition Road. The other entrance, the East Entrance on the Exhibition Road side, may be closed to manage crowds. There is no public parking on the grounds.

Information about entrances, buses, bicycles, and parking for Blue Badge holders can be found in the following official guide.