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NHM announces major transformation ahead of 150th birthday
Project will include revitalised Dinosaur exhibition and the reopening of two closed galleries
The Natural History Museum is embarking on an ambitious transformation project ahead of its 150th anniversary in 2031.
Announcing the plans this week, the South Kensington museum said the project would revitalise four existing galleries, including its much-loved Dinosaur exhibition, and open a new space dedicated to connecting young visitors to the natural world.
The transformation will also see the reopening of two galleries, the Origins gallery and the Old General Herbarium, which have not been seen by the public since 2004 and 1948 respectively.
In a statement, the institution said: “Currently used to house collections, we will restore these spaces to their former glory, complete with iconic Victorian architecture, and return them to public use so they can engage and inspire once more, creating advocates for the planet for generations to come.”
The museum will fundraise £150m towards the transformation. A significant proportion of the remaining sum will come from the government.
The museum says the project will build on its ambition to be a “catalyst for change” for nature and the environment.
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Director Doug Gurr said, “Since 2017 when we unveiled Hope the blue whale diving through the heart of the museum, a symbol of humanity’s power to act for the planet, we’ve been working hard to help people understand the importance of looking after the natural world. In 2020 we declared a planetary emergency and our mission to create advocates for the planet.”
“This step-change from a catalogue of natural history to a catalyst for change will be fully realised as our galleries here in South Kensington are renewed and revitalised, powered by our scientists’ work to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face.”
The Origins gallery and the Old General Herbarium are currently being used for storage but will be vacated when the institution moves some of its natural history collections to a purpose-built science, research and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park, due to open in 2026.
Although the relocation plan has come in for some criticism, the museum says the move will enable it to take better care of the collections and more easily share data with scientists all over the world on solutions to problems like climate change, biodiversity loss and food security.
The institution said: “By moving the collection out of unsuitable, unsustainable storage in South Kensington and into a purpose-built research centre, we are preserving this powerful scientific tool for next 150 years, while increasing access and collaboration with the science community, and returning gallery space back to its intended use.”
Earlier this year the museum unveiled an ambitious redevelopment of its gardens, including outdoor galleries on evolution and wildlife, as well as a new bronze diplodocus cast, which has been christened "Fern".
A new free gallery addressing environmental challenges and showcasing what visitors can do to protect the planet, Fixing Our Broken Planet, is due to open in 2025.