Our loans are an excellent way to bring your lessons to life. We have a range of themed boxes to use within a variety of curriculum areas including Science, Art, Language, Geography and History.
Each set is a box of six or more specimens, a fact file about the specimens and instructions on how to handle them. A box can be used for multiple classes and may be loaned for one half-term (up to six weeks) at a time. It can be collected at and returned to the Museum at a mutually agreed date and time.
The Museum is a charity and its role is now more important than ever, to help support the Museum there is a recommended donation of £30 charge for a loan box.
Occasionally some of the specimens are damaged or are needed elsewhere. The Museum reserves the right to replace the specimens when necessary.
How to book a box
For more information about our loans or to book a loan, please contact our Learning and Events team at 020 7942 6177 or by email.
Before requesting a loan please read our terms and conditions and handling instructions (PDF 123kB).
To book a loan we will need to know the:
- school name and teacher responsible
- contact details, including email, telephone number and address where the specimens are to be stored
- dates the loan is required
- number of students using the loan
- age of the students
- subject area
Choose from 16 different boxes
The pictures and list are an example of what specimens you will receive.
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Box 1: Birds 1
Large- and medium-sized birds which are ideal for art lessons:
- cuckoo
- green woodpecker in a case
- kingfisher
- kestrel in a case
- thrush
- jay
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Box 2: Birds 2
Large- and medium-sized birds which are ideal for a variety of art lessons:
- short-eared owl in a case
- greater spotted woodpecker
- chaffinch and greenfinch
- starling
- partridge
- hobby
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Box 3: Small British birds
A collection of beautiful small birds, suitable for art lessons for older students:
- robin
- blue tit
- pied wagtail
- wren
- whinchat in a case
- greenfinch
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Boxes 4 and 13: Local wildlife
Examine the wildlife of our local area with a variety of local birds, mammals and insects. Ideal for science, creative writing and art:
- red fox
- rabbit in a case
- hedgehog in a case
- goldfinch with chaffinch and yellowhammer
- dragonfly and dragonfly nymph
- mole in a case
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Box 5: Birds in flight
Wings, feathers and mounted birds to explore the process of flight:
- swift in flight in a case
- tawny owl wing
- eagle wing
- selection of parrot feathers
- selection of other feathers
- chaffinch
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Box 6: Sea life
A collection of sea life specimens, including shells, corals and sea birds:
- puffin
- gull
- giant spider conch
- organ pipe coral
- selection of small shells
- tiger cowrie
- brain coral
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Box 7: Selection of shells and corals
A selection of corals and shells, ideal for studying life under the sea:
- pearl conch
- selection of small shells
- African murex
- Philippine crowned baler melon
- Tridacna medium clam
- brain coral
- coral
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Box 8: Skulls 1
A variety of skulls ideal for studying science, diet or art:
- muntjac deer
- African hunting dog
- badger
- cat
- rabbit
- camel
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Box 9: Skulls 2
A variety of skulls ideal for studying science, diet or art:
- muntjac deer
- crocodile skull in a case
- sheep
- cat
- squirrel
- macaque (monkey)
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Box 10: Fur and feathers
A selection of mammals and birds ideal for studying texture and colour:
- red-crowned ant tanager in a case
- yellowhammer
- mongoose
- muntjac deer
- racoon dog
- cuckoo in a case
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Box 11: Butterflies
A variety of 10 individual butterflies for art purposes.
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Box 12: Beetles
A variety of 10 individual beetles for art purposes.
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Box 14: Mixed insects
A range of 11 individual insects including beetles, dragonflies, ants, wasps, moths and grasshoppers.
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Box 15: Variety box
A fascinating mixture of different specimens:
- Eyed cowrie shell
- Parrot feathers
- Blackbuck horn
- Horse molar
- Badger bone
- Cow vertebra
- Herring gull eggs
- Mushroom coral
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Box 16: Fossils
A selection of 10 fossils, ideal for studying time periods, animals from the past and fossilisation:
- Graptolite
- Ammonite fragment
- Fossil coral
- Fossil sea urchin
- Cast of T-rex tooth
- Ammonite
- Fossil oyster
- Devils toenail
- Trilobite
- Fossil plant
School visits to Tring
Inspire your students to ponder their place within the natural world and explore the variety of life. We offer workshops and self-guided visits.