Natural History Museums

[paul m]

The Natural History Museum in Kensington is one of the greatest working collections in the world: inaugurated by Queen Victoria -

Quite an extraordinary building as well as being a comprehensive source on biology (that's the Life Sciences half - there's also the Earth Sciences section next door).
Some weeks back a new section opened: the Darwin Centre which allows you to see behind the scenes and goes into more detail about how and why museum collections are made.

All very impressive.
Natural History Museum

[paul m]

It would be nice to have a list of natural history museums - not just the great institutions such as the BM(NH) and the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris (Site officiel du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle) but all the small ones spread around towns and cities of the world.

Any suggestions for good ones? Any specialities? Anything really unique?

[Tynanatior]

the irish national history museem is curenly closed as its being made even better i cnat wait till it opens agin so i can go

[paul m]

Originally Posted by Tynanatior

the irish national history museem is curenly closed as its being made even better i cnat wait till it opens agin so i can go

That's a useful warning. We were thinking of going to Dublin in the Spring and would have been disappointed to find a locked museum; Thanks!
It says it will re-open in early 2010 - wonder when 'early' is?

History and Architecture

[Beverly Stayart]

Thanks for sharing this info. and the beautiful pics.

[paul m]

Originally Posted by Beverly Stayart

Thanks for sharing this info. and the beautiful pics.

You seem to have at least one N.H.M. in your state - Welcome to the Cable Natural History Museum
Any good?

Wikipedia has a world list including thirteen in USA. I'm sure there must be many more:
Category:Natural history museums - Wikimedia Commons

[goosey]

Leiden has an excellent Natural History museum by all accounts (I haven't been but maybe Arp has and could tell us more?). My youngest went about 5years ago with a birthday party and loved it there and raved about opening owl pellets at the time and examining the contents, and lots of things to be able to touch and do.
A link in English to Naturalis
The architecture isn't on a par with that of the The Natural History Museum in Kensington but I doubt many would be but it is what to do and see inside that is the main thing.

Here in Ijmuiden we have a small natural history museum geared up for young children and schools. They do lots of work in the area with kids and have many themes and exhibitions throughout the year. It has recently moved (to make way for a block of flats ), the old one had a wonderful wildflower garden which was just great to sit in and do nothing but watch the insects and birds. The last time I went I took the same daughter and her mate as they were keen to see an exhibition which was on there - I didn't know what until we got there and it was all about Poo! I had never seen or joined in sniffing so much poo in my life!