Science on Ice
December 08, 2007
The NHM is a fantastically cool building, like Hogwarts with a nature theme. Everywhere you look there are plants and animals built into the architecture: monkeys climbing pillars, saber-tooth tigers skulking on the eaves, and columns of ivy. The central hall with the massive Diplodocus fossil is a sight I'll never get tired of. Beyond the grandeur of the central hall there lies seemingly infinite interesting displays and extreme quirkiness including Victorian era bird exhibits (don't miss the humming birds), a strange escalator ride through the Earth while Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone from the Sun" plays in the background, a pointlessly rotating display of things insects eat, a visual explanation of how a rabbit corpse decays, and a life-size blue whale. The newly opened exhibit "The Vault" is very nice and adds some much needed spice to mineralogy.
During the holidays, the NHM is one of the nicest places to ice skate in London. It is a bit pricey, as all of the major holiday ice rinks are, but the scene at night with the building lit up and the plane trees covered in Christmas lights is not to be missed. The holiday fair huts aren't amazing for shopping, but you can find a scarf and gloves if you forgot them. If you want to skate during the day (not a bad idea to avoid the crowds), make sure it is a cold day, otherwise the temporary ice rink gets soupy.
Tags: museum, science, christmas, free admission, architecture
3 reviews
1 review
0 reviews
