London is my jungle
London really hides a stone jungle (See here and there)…
Take the Natural History Museum, for example. The one my daughter calls The dinosaurs’ house.
What an extraordinary place! The stones are marbled with blue, pillars carved like lace, sculptures absolutely everywhere, let alone the fab gargoyles outside… The architecture is mouthgaping too. You expect the stairs to change directions, as if you had litteraly stepped into Hogwarth.
Picture this. We’re in the 19th century. Sir Sloane is a fascinated collector of anything to do with natural history. Towards the end of his life, he decides to sell everything to the government for a low price, in order to protect the collections. The deal is done and the lot transferred to the British Museum.
Unfortunately, the curator at the time has…mmmmmh… peculiar ideas. Such as having regular bonfire parties. Hence some entire parts of the collection disappearing. It seems the staff was as light minded. Stealing labels from a rival’s preparation. walking through a yard, in a gale, with a fragile collection.
Richard Owen jumps in. He has a vision of what a Natural History Museum should be. Splendid, a cathedral dedicated to nature, to its glory, open and accessible to the general public. The architect, Alfred Waterhouse prepares hundreds of sketches, representing existing or disappeared species, which will becomes sculptures and gargoyles all over the place. the ceiling is covered with botanical drawings. Pillars designs are copied from fossilised wood.
A little surprise on the choice of material: terracota tiles! Yep, the one you would expect in your garden. Why? First for its great resistance to fire but also to the acidity of London pollution!
Before taking the kids to the dinosaur gallery, why not try a safari race around the museum? Will they find the dodo (mineral gallery on the first floor)? And the pterodactyl (east aisle, on the outside)?
And don’t forget the Darwin Gallery for even more oooohs!
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Rd
London SW7 5BD
5 Responses to “London is my jungle ”
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C’est assez surprenant en effet ! Quelle bonne idée de faire faire un safari aux enfants !
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Chocoralie says:
D’autant plus qu’il est difficile, souvent, d’interesser un petit enfant a un musee, a un tableau… Mais reperer des animaux sauvages, voila qui marche a tous les coups!
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