The Natural History Museum in London will open a previously sealed gallery to the public on 16 September, ending more than eight decades of closure. The space has remained inaccessible since 1943, when it was repurposed following damage to the museum’s original herbarium during World War Two. The gallery, located on the second floor of the Waterhouse Building, was originally established as an osteology and mammals exhibition before being converted to house botanical collections.
The reopening is part of NHM150, an institutional initiative designed to unveil new or renovated galleries annually through the museum’s 150th anniversary in 2031. The inaugural exhibition, titled Nature and Us, will feature approximately 50 objects selected to illustrate how human understanding of and interaction with the natural world has transformed over time. Museum Director Doug Gurr characterized the reopening as significant, noting that visitors will experience the historic space for the first time in over 80 years.
The museum intends to operate the gallery on an experimental basis during an 18-month trial period, actively soliciting visitor feedback to inform the development of a permanent installation scheduled to debut in 2029. Notable objects on display will include a miniature reproduction of a Crystal Palace dinosaur, a Victorian-era monk seal skeleton named Jenny that demonstrates historical practices of animal exploitation, and the jaw of an early domesticated dog from approximately 14,300 years ago. The Natural History Museum offers free admission and operates daily.
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