Classroom resources
Classification Exploration
In this outdoor activity, your class will go on a bug hunt and become zoologists. They will come up with their own classification systems to sort common invertebrates into groups.
LEGO® Life Forms
Find our about adaptations. Use your imagination to build your own LEGO® Life Form that could survive in each of four challenging environments.
Watch and learn how plants grow
Welcome to the Plant Club! Here pupils learn how plants grow from seeds. They then sow their own seeds, and track their progress in a plant diary.
The beaver's back!
Pupils show that they can understand both sides of a complex issue and persuasively communicate viewpoints to others. by creating pamphlets from both perspectives exploring the issues of rewilding beavers.
The great school lichen hunt
Pupils explore their school environment and discover how examples of life have adapted to live there.
Articles and how-tos
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British wildlifeWhy do wasps build nests?
Most social wasps aren't fussy when it comes to finding a spot to settle down.
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What on Earth?Flies are saving your chocolate cravings
Bees' pollinating prowess often overshadows many of the insects working just as hard as them.
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OceansDo sharks lay eggs?
Although most sharks give birth to live young, a few lay oddly shaped eggs that occasionally wash up on beaches.
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DinosaursWere dinosaurs good parents?
Did dinosaurs have a softer side when it came to caring for their eggs and young?
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British wildlifeHow to make a simple butterfly feeder
Put on a butterfly buffet and watch these intriguing insects feeding.
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British wildlifeHow to make a bug hotel: a ladybird lodge
This simple DIY insect hotel is perfect for ladybirds looking for somewhere to hibernate in winter.
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British wildlife
How to make a footprint tunnel that reveals what wildlife visits your garden
Have you ever wondered what wildlife wanders through your garden when you're not watching?
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British wildlife
How to grow a cress caterpillar
Create a colourful caterpillar and grow your own food all in one activity.
Short videos
Naming nature, putting life in order
How do you name and categorise 80 million specimens, let alone all known life on Earth?
How does a polar bear stay warm?
There is more to polar bear fur than meets the eye. Mammals Curator Roberto Portela Miguez explains.
Spot the difference: butterfly or moth?
With so many similarities between moths and butterflies, how can we tell the two apart?
How do peanuts grow?
Plants disperse their seeds in a variety of ways, but one of the oddest may be the peanut plant.
Butterflies emerge from their chrysalises
Watch as a flutter of blue morphos Morpho peleides emerge from their pupal state.
Show a bit more love to the humble earthworm
There are 27 different species of earthworm in the British Isle, and they have important work to do.
In the Museum
Workshops and shows
Minibeast Hunt
In this outdoor workshop, pupils will explore habitats and hunt for bugs in our new Nature Discovery Garden.
For ages 4-7 (Early Years - KS1)
Pond Dipping
In this outdoor workshop, pupils will use nets to catch pond animals and conduct a scientific enquiry into what these creatures eat.
For ages 6-11 (Year Two - KS2)
Ocean Life and Habitat Show
Come on an adventure and help our scientists explore the seas, from the sunlit corals to the midnight depths.
For ages 6-11 (Upper KS1 and KS2)
Biodiversity in Action
A practical science session where pupils use microscopes to sort and classify insect specimens, interpret data, and solve a problem.
For ages 7-14 (KS2 and KS3)
Galleries
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