Natural History Museum

You can walk into the permanent galleries without paying, as of Oct 2026. Special exhibitions are sold by the museum on its own website and on site, and the Book box on this page shows partner tickets and current prices.

On a Sunday the museum is usually open 10:00 AM–5:50 PM, and last entry is 5:30 PM, as of Oct 2026. It opens every day but closes on a few dates each year, which the hours box shows. Coming early leaves room for more than the central hall.

Many visitors allow about 3–4 h. Moving between the central hall with the blue whale, the dinosaur gallery and the earth sciences wing fills most of that time. Choosing a few zones before you arrive helps, as the galleries spread across several wings of the building.

Yes, the permanent galleries, the gardens and the building itself are free, as of Oct 2026. Some special exhibitions charge an entry fee, and the museum sells those on its own website and on site. Its site also lists any booking advice for general entry.

A blue whale skeleton hangs over the grand central hall, and the dinosaur gallery holds fossil skeletons and a moving model. An escalator through a large globe leads to displays on volcanoes and earthquakes, and the building's terracotta front is carved with animals and plants.

The museum faces Cromwell Road in South Kensington, beside the V&A and a short walk from Hyde Park along Exhibition Road. An Underground stop with a pedestrian tunnel is close by, and buses run along Cromwell Road; the map on this page shows the nearest station.