Darwin's pet tortoise
On display in Dinosaur Way in the Blue Zone
This tortoise was collected from the Galapagos Islands by Charles Darwin. But it remained buried, and unidentified as such, in our collections for more than 170 years. It is believed to be the species Chelonoidis darwini.
Could you lose a tortoise?
Ongoing display
Dinosaur Way, Blue Zone
Free
Adopted as a pet by Charles Darwin, this young giant tortoise on display was collected from the Galapagos Islands by Darwin on the Beagle voyage between 1831 and 1836.
It was one of 4 Galapagos Island tortoises to survive the Beagle journey (originally 48 were collected) and was donated to the Museum in 1837.
The pet tortoise remained hidden, but in plain sight, at the Museum for more than 170 years because its label was obscurely placed inside the lower shell (plastron). It was wrongly catalogued only as a stuffed juvenile of unknown provenance.
Before is was rediscovered some had claimed the tortoise went to Australia where it lived to more than 175 years of age, while others believed it had stayed in England but had disappeared. It had been in the Museum's collection all along!
Discover this intriguing story in our special display.
