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COLLECTIONS

Hans Sloane: physician, collector and botanist

10 January 2019

Hans Sloane's collection formed the basis of the Natural History Museum.

Collections

Of the Museum's 80 million specimens, only a tiny fraction ever go on display. Uncover colourful stories behind the specimens, meet collectors and curators past and present and read about their contributions to our understanding of the natural world.

COLLECTIONS

12 highlights of the Treasures gallery

2 May 2019

A royal lion skull, a Moon rock, a famous gorilla, even Darwin's pigeons: uncover some of the most extraordinary specimens in our collection.
COLLECTIONS

Museum highlights: Charles Darwin

11 February 2019

Take a closer look at nine highlights, including Darwin's favourite octopus and a rare first edition of his book, On the Origin of Species.
COLLECTIONS

Attenborosaurus: a celebrity reptile

27 November 2018

This long-necked skeleton is Attenborosaurus, an extinct marine reptile named after legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
COLLECTIONS

What was Megatherium?

22 November 2018

Darwin collected fossils of these ancient giant sloths when he visited South America.
COLLECTIONS

The birds of American Animals

7 September 2018

Discover John James Audubon's iconic and valuable book The Birds of America.
COLLECTIONS

Curious collections: two-tusked narwhal

31 May 2018

Marine mammal expert Richard Sabin takes us through what scientists know - and don't know - about narwhals, also known as unicorns of the sea.
COLLECTIONS

Sunday Stone: recording England's coal mining past

27 April 2018

No bigger than a smartphone, this remarkable rock has layers that tell the story of the working lives and hardships of miners in the 1800s.
COLLECTIONS

The heavy metal rock bands charting life on early Earth

26 July 2017

The touchable, wavy folds of this rock tell a story as old as life on Earth.
COLLECTIONS

Missouri Leviathan: The making of an American mastodon

5 July 2017

From touring spectacle to Museum star: hear the hidden history behind this ancient mammal skeleton.
COLLECTIONS

The Imilac meteorite: a gem as old as the solar system

18 April 2017

Dr Caroline Smith sheds light on the secrets this rock holds about the formation of our own planet.
COLLECTIONS

Barbary lion skull from the Tower of London

3 July 2015

This skull was dug up from the Tower of London moat. The lion guarded the entrance 700 years ago as a symbol of strength.
COLLECTIONS

The giant sequoia: preserving a slice of natural history

12 January 2017

How do you conserve an ancient wedge of giant tree? With solvent, buckets of resin and a lot of patience.

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COLLECTIONS

Endeavour 250: natural history through colonial encounter

17 August 2018

Discover rarely displayed illustrations and specimens from Captain Cook's first voyage.

Botanical illustration by Sydney Parkinson

Endeavour Illustrations

Explore original botanical drawings and engravings prepared by Sydney Parkinson aboard the Endeavour, as well as those completed after his death by artists back in England.

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COLLECTIONS

Explore the Museum's collection with Sir David Attenborough

6 March 2018

Virtual reality is providing unprecedented access to the Museum's most precious specimens.

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COLLECTIONS

Who was Graman Kwasi?

4 October 2018

Though visitors can spot his namesake on the iconic gilded ceiling of the Museum's Hintze Hall, few will have heard of Graman Kwasimukambe.

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