Natural History Museum Unveils £550 Million Redevelopment

The Natural History Museum in London is set to undergo a £550 million transformation aimed at becoming a 'catalyst for change' regarding climate issues, coinciding with its 150th anniversary in 2031. This ambitious project includes the overhaul of four existing galleries, notably the dinosaur exhibit, and the reopening of two long-closed spaces: the Origins gallery and the Old General Herbarium. A new exhibit titled 'Fixing Our Broken Planet' will debut in 2025, focusing on climate messaging to encourage visitor engagement in environmental advocacy. Museum director Doug Gurr emphasized the need for the museum to transition from a passive observer to an active participant in addressing environmental challenges. The museum plans to move a significant portion of its collection to a new research and digitization center to facilitate this transformation. Overall, the project aims to increase public space by 16% and accommodate an additional million visitors annually.