Press release

Pick up your passport, grab your binoculars and safari hat and put on your backpack to begin your adventure at the Natural History Museum! With special new Explorers backpacks, young visitors to the Museum can discover more about the world they live in and choose from themes such as Birds, Oceans, Mammals, Primates and Monsters to become David Attenborough for the day.

‘The Explorers backpacks are a great way for families to get more out of their visit to the Natural History Museum,’ says Honor Gay, the Museum’s Head of Learning. ‘Children can really engage with specimens as they explore and, along with their families, they can unravel clues and make deductions about the natural world. We hope the backpacks will appeal to the imagination and sense of adventure shared by all young children.’

Filled with pens, games and activities, these bright red backpacks will help families with children under seven navigate their way round the Museum. Using different clues inside the bags to identify specimens, young explorers can match a tooth and claw to the right animal in the galleries or try to tell the difference between themselves and other ape relatives.

With a unique passport, young explorers can return and discover a new part of the Museum whenever they like. Each themed visit will be marked with a stamp, and by collecting all eight stamps, a young explorer can be given a year’s child membership of the Natural History Museum. Child Members enjoy free admission to all Special Exhibitions for a year, receive a quarterly magazine, plus the children’s supplement Second Nature, a series of children’s workshops and much more.

– Ends –

Notes for editors

• There are eight themed backpacks:
  Birds, Mammals, Oceans, Primates, Monsters, Wildlife Garden, Seashore and Earth
  The full range will be available at the end of July 2004.
• Hire of the backpacks is free. A deposit is required.
• The privileges of child membership worth £18:
• Free admission to all Special Exhibitions for a year
• Free quarterly, full-colour magazine, Nature First plus children’s supplement, Second Nature
• Events such as children’s workshops
• Members’ Room with free refreshments, offering a quiet place to relax during visits to the Museum
• 10% discount at the Museum’s shops and restaurants (excluding Basement snack bar)
• 10 Special Exhibition guest tickets for family non-Members
• Free use of the Museum’s cloakrooms (usually £1.00 per item)

VISITOR INFORMATION
Opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00–17.50,
Sunday 11.00–17.50
Visitor enquiries: Monday–Friday 020 7942 5000
Saturday and Sunday 020 7942 5011
Admission: FREE
Nearest tube: South Kensington
Website: www.nhm.ac.uk

CONTACT INFORMATION
If you would like to request images or for further information, please contact:

Mairi Allan, Rebecca Chetley or Sarah Hoyle,
the Natural History Museum Press Office
Tel: 020 7942 5156/5654
Email: press@nhm.ac.uk (not for publication)

Issued 14 May 2004