Our galleries are packed with fascinating specimens - there are over 4,900 to see.
The private collection of Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild (1868-1937), became the basis of the collections housed at the Museum at Tring, located on the grounds of his family home. To help you make the most of your visit, explore some of the highlights from each gallery.
Museum map
Plan your trip with the Museum map. You can also buy a £5 printed guide with map at the information desk.
Download the map PDF (2.2MB)
Gallery 1
Stand tall against an emperor penguin and come face-to-face with a polar bear.
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See the highlights in Gallery 1
Polar bear
Museum founder Walter Rothschild bought this polar bear from the Northeast Siberian Trading Company. This specimen is one of many animals which were traded between North America and Siberia. It is thought to have provided the inspiration for Raymond Briggs' book, The Bear.
Where can I see it? Case 17
Mandrill
In 1906 Walter bought George the mandrill and gave him to London Zoo to care for. George was well loved by the public and became a celebrity, even meeting US President Roosevelt. George died in 1916 and joined the Museum's collection.
Where can I see it? Case 20
Emperor penguin
This emperor penguin is a type specimen, one of the first collected and could have been part of the several specimens from which the species was scientifically described. It is believed to be the oldest specimen on display in the Museum at Tring. It was collected on an Antarctic expedition between 1839 and 1843 by Joseph Dalton Hooker, who was a famous botanist and one of Charles Darwin's closest friends.
Where can I see it? Case 8
Aye-aye
The strange looking aye-aye is believed to bring bad luck. Its fingers are used to scoop out fruit flesh or tap hollow wood to check for insects, although some people believe an aye-aye pointing at you is a bad omen.
Where can I see it? Case 19
Gallery 3
See one of the Museum's most famous exhibits: the dressed fleas.
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See the highlights in Gallery 3
Dressed fleas
One of the Museum's most famous exhibits, these fleas were purchased in Mexico around 1905. They were handmade by women as a form of folk art and sold to tourists as souvenirs. Specimens of dressed fleas are now very rare.
Where can I see it? Case 1
Fugu
Fugus are a type of pufferfish. Their poisonous skin is more deadly than cyanide, yet the fish are a delicacy in Japan. The fugu's flesh makes your mouth go numb and tingly, however if not prepared properly it can be fatal.
Where can I see it? Case 13
Gallery 4
See zebras and their relatives.
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See the highlights in Gallery 4
Zebras
There are several zebras in the collection, including Burchell's zebra, named after English explorer William John Burchell, and Grevy's zebra, named after the then-president of France. Walter trained zebras to pull a carriage, using a pony at the front for them to follow.
Where can I see them? Cases 2 to 5
Quagga
This rare specimen is an extinct quagga, one of the few examples still available to display. The quagga became extinct in 1883. Its name comes from its cry, which sounded like 'kwa-ha-ha'.
Where can I see it? Case 6
Gallery 5
Fan of Moby Dick? Don't miss the lower jaw of a sperm whale.
Gallery 6
Walter Rothschild kept 64 carrowaries and 144 giant tortoises in his lifetime. See some of the specimens in this gallery.
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See the highlights in Gallery 6
Cassowaries
Walter kept 64 cassowaries because he believed their wildly different appearances meant they were a subspecies. We now know they just have lots of individual variation. The cassowaries could roam free until one attacked Walter's father's horse. The specimen with the red label is the type specimen of the northern cassowary.
Where can I see them? Case 41 to 43
Giant panda
Walter bought this specimen from a Russian collector who brought it from Gansu, China. The panda is in the raccoon case as it shares traits with both bears and raccoons. Although it was originally thought to be a type of raccoon, DNA testing shows it belongs to the Ursidae family.
Where can I see it? Gallery 6
Aldabra tortoise
Walter kept 144 giant tortoises in his lifetime, including Aldabra and Galápagos tortoises. He rented a heated greenhouse and experimented with different diets, finding that the tortoises liked squash but not bananas. He even leased the island of Aldabra in the Indian Ocean in a bid to stop the decline in numbers of tortoises due to hunting.
Where can I see them? Cases 54 and 55
Farthest North
This American Eskimo dog, named Farthest North, is from one of Robert Peary's expeditions to Greenland and Arctic Canada in the early twentieth century. Peary was thought to be the first man to reach the North Pole in 1909, but it is suspected that he might have been 48-96 kilometres out. On returning to England, Farthest North was sold to a breeder as he was such a fine specimen. He won many competitions.
Where can I see it? Case 91
The life of Walter Rothschild
Explore interactive maps, Rothschild's favourite birds and a life-size replica of his giant tortoise in the Rothschild Room.
See the free, temporary display Taxidermy at Tring about Walter Rothschild and the taxidermists who prepared specimens for the Museum.
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Eat, drink and shop
Ugly Bug Cafe
The Ugly Bug Cafe is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10.00-16.00. A range of cafes and restaurants are also available on Tring High Street, about four minutes' walk from the Museum.
Picnic areas
You can eat packed lunches in the indoor (Walter's Workshop) and outdoor picnic areas.
Some outdoor picnic benches have lift-up seats for wheelchair users.
Shop
Find a great range of nature-inspired gifts for all ages, including mineral specimens, soft toys, games, books, posters and greetings cards. The shop is on the ground floor and is open Tuesday-Sunday and bank holidays, 10.00-17.00.
Self-guided tours
Encourage children to ask questions and discuss animal features with our free self-guided tours.
The tours are designed for use by an adult leading a small group of children.
Activity and guide books
Navigate your way with our guidebook filled with fascinating stories and facts, or pick up an activity book to complete during and after your visit.
Buy them from the Museum's shop.
Beyond the Museum: The best things to do in Tring
Whether you want to spend a weekend or make a day trip, find all the information you need to extend your trip beyond the Museum at Tring and discover Hertfordshire's hidden cultural gem.