Visit our new gardens
Our gardens follow the story of how life on Earth has changed over time, from the days of the dinosaurs through to today.
Open daily
The Urban Nature Project
We’re working to give people across the UK the motivation and tools to safeguard nature in towns and cities.
Our five-acre site in South Kensington has been transformed into a welcoming, accessible and biologically diverse green space in the heart of London.
Our gardens are place for people to learn about the diversity of life on Earth and how our planet is changing over time. They also showcase our scientific research.
A living laboratory
The Urban Nature Project is developing new scientific tools and skills urgently needed to monitor, understand and protect urban nature.
Our gardens are a hub for urban nature identification and field survey skills. We’re piloting a range of technologies for monitoring change in urban environments, including eDNA and acoustic monitoring, where an array of recorders will listen to the gardens, pond, soil and even inside the trees.
We’re also developing a new public-facing biodiversity and environmental monitoring data ecosystem to help capture, share and interpret urban nature data.
Science in the gardens
Find urban nature education resources
Our Explore: Urban Nature programme provides training for teachers, curriculum-linked learning resources and hands-on outdoor workshops.
Students can also get involved in a community science project, Nature Overheard, a project created alongside students and developed with their ideas and questions.
In partnership with the Prince’s Trust, we’ve created a Youth Worker Toolkit to support informal ways of learning. It equips youth workers with activities and conversation starters they can use with young people to open the door to nature around them.
We’ve facillitated a Youth Advisory Panel to give young people a voice. So far, we’ve heard from 24 young people and supported their personal development and skills.
Make your mark
This momentous project will not be possible without your help.
Right now, you have the opportunity to make your mark in the Museum gardens like never before. From sponsoring a square metre of garden to dedicating a bench to a loved one, a donation to the Urban Nature Project is the perfect way to be a part of this historic project.
Get involved in our projects
Working together to explore and make space for urban nature
Working with local groups, we’re co-creating activities and resources for family learning in our new gardens. These resources include what plants and animals you can find in London, self-guided experiences in the gardens and nature-friendly crafts and activities.
We’re also developing a new volunteer programme and summer programme for school leavers.
School groups will also be able to explore the gardens and take part in a programme that focuses on building a connection with nature, valuing biodiversity and what actions they can do to help nature.
We’re working with London’s Grow to Know as they help local residents to plant and maintain their own prairie garden and find out more about the species living near them. Our scientists have found 58 tiny animal species living in the Prairie Garden space on Lancaster West Estate.
Does nature live in your neighbourhood?
Find out how to monitor and identify wildlife living in urban areas. You’ll be contributing to scientific research and helping to boost biodiversity in cities and towns.
Make space for nature
The shaping of our gardens
Funding
We thank all those who have generously contributed to the Urban Nature Project.
