A NEW area of one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions is being opened to the public.
The Natural History Museum in London is officially the UK’s most popular attraction, with seven million tourists visiting each year and soon a new area in the museum will open.
Closed since World War II, the Nature and Us gallery will open to the public next month.
Opening on September 16, the gallery will be free to visit and will be home to 50 objects linked to humans’ relationship with the natural world.
The space has been closed to the public since 1943 and includes a miniature model of a Crystal Palace dinosaur and Jenny, a Victorian skeleton of a monk seal.
Visitors will also be able to touch a replica jaw of one of Britain’s earliest known domesticated dogs, which dates to around 14,300 years ago.
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All visitors can then have their say on their favourite stories from the gallery, which will then be moved into the permanent collection in 2029.
The gallery is located on the second floor of the museum.
It used to be a skeleton gallery and mammal gallery.
When the museum’s original herbarium was damaged during the Second World War, it was then turned into the botanicals new home.
Today, the original wooden herbarium cabinets remain.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Museum, said: “Reopening this remarkable gallery is an exciting moment for the Museum.
“For the first time in over 80 years, visitors will be able to step into this beautiful historic space and explore our changing relationship with the natural world.
“It’s another important step in our NHM150 transformation as we create new spaces that inspire people to become advocates for the planet.”
The reopening of the gallery is part of the NHM150 campaign which includes opening a new or revitalised gallery each year until 2031.