Saturday 16 August 2008

HOT: Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd SW7 5BD

If you don't like being around kids, don't bother visiting the Natural History Museum. At all times your meander around the airy Gothic cathedral-like Central Hall and the mind-blowing number of detailed exhibits will be blocked by strollers, prams and children laughing, running, screaming and crying. We never did visit the dinosaur gallery (1 hour wait) but there are many other interesting things to explore: the giant whale skeleton suspended in a crowded mammal gallery; the diverse entries for a Darwin-inspired artwork go on the Museum's ceiling in 2009; the theory of human evolution (creationists avoid); the human biology gallery with lots of interesting hands-on games, levers and videos and where I spotted tourists getting their photo taken with a giant reproduction of an 8-month old foetus; a simulation of the Kobe earthquake and a cut of a 1300 year old giant sequoia tree. Educational and probably even more fun if you're into rocks and stuffed birds.

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