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Zoology Department

The Department of Zoology deals with a wide range of taxonomic groups, ranging from microbes to baleen whales.

The 120 staff have a heavy input into many aspects of research on systematics, using a variety of approaches - from traditional morphological studies to the latest molecular techniques. The Zoology Department's curators look after the collections, comprising 30 million specimens, 22 million of which are in spirit and stored in the special facilities of the new Darwin Centre.

The Darwin Centre

The Darwin Centre houses a large proportion of the staff and research laboratories of the Zoology Department, plus all of the Museum's wet collections. It is a new 'state of the art', environmentally friendly scientific facility. The laboratories and collections are separated by a central atrium into which natural light penetrates through an inflated plastic roof. The 22 million specimens comprising these collections are maintained in optimal conditions by the building management system. There is public access to part of building and a programme of tours and presentations.

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Contact us
Zoology Department
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 5BD
UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5000
email