The Natural History Museum’s Transformed Gardens Will Reopen In July

From beloved festive ice rink to (we hope) idyllic garden space: the Natural History Museum is getting ready to unveil its totally transformed gardens. The big reveal will take place on 18 July 2024 – and here’s exactly what to expect when you visit.

Natural History Museum’s Gardens Are Almost Ready To Open

The Natural History Museum’s newly transformed gardens will provide visitors with a new outdoor space to rest, relax and connect with nature. © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

When the Natural History Museum announced its ice rink wouldn’t return after Christmas 2021, Londoners were up in arms. But NHM soothed our upset with the news that the space would be redeveloped into a burgeoning, blossoming, free-to-visit five acre natural space. And, two and a half years later, that promise is finally coming to fruition.

‘We cannot wait to welcome all visitors to our completely reimagined gardens this summer,’ says Dr Alex Burch, Director of Public Programmes at the NHM. ‘This is the first time in 140 years that the gardens around our building have been completely transformed. Through two new outdoor galleries – complete with a new resident dinosaur – visitors will explore the incredible story of Earth, stretching back more than 2.7 billion years. The five acres of gardens provide a wildlife haven in the heart of London. They will be the perfect setting for people to connect with, learn about and cherish the nature to be found in our towns and cities.’

‘We are delighted to support this exciting project, a new oasis in the city centre,’ says Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which granted the project £3.2 million. ‘We want to connect people with nature and this innovative urban nature project will increase people’s understanding of nature, help habitats and species thrive, and play a part in reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.’

The Natural History Museum has increased the pond area by 60 percent, providing even more space for nature to flourish in the heart of the city. © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

What Is The Natural History Museum Garden?

The Natural History Museum Garden is a new accessible, free to visit five-acre natural space. It was created as part of the museum’s Urban Nature Project, and features two gardens called the Evolution Garden and the Nature Discovery Garden.

In the first, visitors will find the Evolution Timeline, an immersive timeline transporting visitors through 2.7 billion years of natural history, spanning plants, geology, reptiles, birds and mammals. It all begins with an awe-inspiring canyon clad in ancient stone collected from across the UK, followed by a stunning new bronze cast of the beloved Dippy dinosaur in a Jurassic garden filled with Wollemi pines, dwarf ginkgos and cycads – flora all carefully chosen to evoke the feeling of a Jurassic landscape.

Further west, visitors will find the Nature Discovery Garden (supported by The Cadogan Charity), featuring different habitats to showcase the rich biodiversity that can be found in the UK’s urban spaces. An accessible sunken pathway winds between the ponds, where frogs and newts have already been spotted.

The gardens will also be a living laboratory where Museum scientists and volunteers alike can develop best practices to protect urban nature. Scientific sensors have also been installed to gather environmental DNA and acoustic data, to monitor, understand and protect urban nature.

The iconic tail of the stunning new bronze cast of the Natural History Museum’s Diplodocus cast supported by Kusuma Trust is teased in front of the iconic terracotta building. © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

Can Anyone Visit?

Yes, the transformed gardens are totally open to the public and can be found outside the Natural History Museum (Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD). The best entry point to begin the journey with the canyon and dippy is by Exhibition Road on the east side – the road separating the NHM from the V&A.

Guests are encouraged to rest, picnic and learn about the world around them and throughout time in the gardens. If you would like to enter the museum before or after you visit the garden, you should book a free ticket in advance to guarantee entry at nhm.ac.uk

When Will The Natural History Museum Garden Open?

The Natural History Museum’s gardens will open to the public on 18 July 2024.