Life
Flying through the air, swimming the ocean’s depths or preserved as fossils, the diversity of life is astonishing. From whales to worms, DNA to dinosaurs, discover the secrets of our own evolution, and how scientists at the Museum work to understand the amazing forms on our planet, past and present.
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Mammals
Investigate this complex group, which of course, includes us. Are big cats living wild in Britain? Why do whales strand? And just how closely related are we to other apes?
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Birds
With over 9,000 species, discover how they helped to shape the world’s most significant evolutionary theory, and take a look at British birds of the past, immortalised in the Museum’s collections of paintings.
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Reptiles, amphibians and fishes
Take a look at some monsters of the deep blue sea, and discover a fossil that ‘came back to life’. Stealth, camouflage, speed and ambush – compare the hunting habits of today’s reptiles with the dinosaurs.
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Insects and spiders
These creepy crawlies are often feared and disliked by humans, but discover how many of them have important roles to play in medical and forensic science, or by preying on insect pests.
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Other invertebrates
Find out about the good, the bad and the ugly, as we reveal the little-known worlds of some of these fascinating creatures.
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Dinosaurs and other extinct creatures
Did dinosaurs completely die out or do they live among us today in the form of birds?
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Plants and fungi
Find out if there is any truth in old wives' tales of herbal remedies, and attract bees, butterflies and bats to your garden by choosing local species of plants.
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Human origins
How did we separate from the other great apes, and where did modern humans first evolve? Find out and discover the Museum's extensive work in this fascinating field.
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The first collected specimen of Theobroma cacao, the plant from which chocolate is made, is kept in the Museum.