- Duration
- 2–3 hours
- Guide
- Audio guide included
- Access
- Reserved time slot
- Bag checks at entry · step-free routes
- Ticket
- Mobile ticket
- QR code on your phone
Free cancellation · Full refund up to 24 h before
- Reserve now, pay later
About this ticket
A reserved entry slot and our audio guide for the Natural History Museum, from Hope the 25-metre blue whale to the moving T. rex and Sophie the Stegosaurus.
- Stand beneath Hope, the 25-metre blue whale skeleton diving from the ceiling of Hintze Hall
- Follow the raised walkway of the Dinosaurs gallery to the moving, roaring T. rex
- Ride the escalator through a giant globe into the Volcanoes and Earthquakes gallery
- Meet Sophie in Earth Hall, the most complete Stegosaurus skeleton ever found
What you'll see
- Hintze Hall: the skeleton of Hope, a 25.2-metre blue whale stranded in Wexford Harbour in 1891, under a ceiling of 162 hand-painted plant panels
- Dinosaurs Gallery: the animatronic T. rex, a Triceratops skull and an armoured Scolosaurus, on the ground floor of the central building
- Earth Hall: the Stegosaurus known as Sophie, one of the most complete ever found, discovered in Wyoming in 2003 and on show since 2014
- Volcanoes and Earthquakes: an earthquake simulator based on the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan, on the second floor of the east wing
- Mammals Hall: the blue whale model built inside the gallery in the 1930s, in the north wing
Good to know
- Hours
- Daily 10:00–17:50, last entry 17:30. Closed 24–26 December. Our slots run hourly 10:00–16:00.
- Getting in
- Use any of the 3 entrances; Cromwell Road and Queen's Gate are step-free by ramp. Bags may be searched, and knives or scissors can be confiscated.
- Bags
- Wheeled suitcases must go in a cloakroom, £3–£6 per item. Cromwell Road takes large bags only; Exhibition Road takes everything, including coats.
- Exhibitions
- All permanent galleries are free with your slot. Paid exhibitions need their own ticket.
- Ages
- Under-5s go free and need no ticket. The child price, ages 5–17, covers the reserved slot and our audio guide.
The story
Richard Owen, superintendent of the British Museum's natural history collections, campaigned for a building of their own and won approval in 1863. Alfred Waterhouse took over the design after Francis Fowke died in 1865, and the museum opened in South Kensington on 18 April 1881.
Owen wanted living and extinct species kept apart, so the terracotta animals of the west wing are living kinds and those of the east wing extinct. Hope, the blue whale bought for £250 after it stranded in Ireland in 1891, was first shown in 1934 and moved into Hintze Hall in 2017.
How it works
- Book your date and timeReserve now and pay later: your booking is confirmed at once and we send a secure payment link within 24 hours.
- Enter at your slotShow your ticket at the entrance after the bag check, then start the audio guide on your phone.
- Show your QR ticketOn your phone at the entrance or meeting point once your booking is paid. No printing needed.
What's included
Included
- Reserved free-entry time slot at the Natural History Museum
- Audio guide on your own phone (access details sent with your ticket)
- Access to all free permanent galleries open on the day
Not included
- Paid exhibitions, e.g. Wildlife Photographer of the Year
- Live guided tour
- Cloakroom fees (£3–£6 per item)
- Food and drinks
Know before you go
- Closed on 24–26 December.
- Bags may be searched at the entrance; large bags go to a paid cloakroom.
- Some galleries, and the animatronic T. rex, close now and then for maintenance.
- Bring headphones and a charged phone for the audio guide.
- Infants (0–4) go free and don't need a ticket.
Questions travellers ask
Can I cancel?
Free cancellation. Full refund up to 24 h before.
Where do I go?
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. Use the main Cromwell Road entrance unless your ticket names another; arrive 10 minutes before your slot.
How long does it last?
2–3 hours.
Which languages?
Audio guide included.
What's included?
Reserved free-entry time slot at the Natural History Museum; Audio guide on your own phone (access details sent with your ticket); Access to all free permanent galleries open on the day.
Do I need to print my ticket?
No. Your ticket is a QR code that you show on your phone.
When do I pay?
Reserve now and pay later: your booking is confirmed at once and we send a secure payment link within 24 hours.
Where to go
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD
Use the main Cromwell Road entrance unless your ticket names another; arrive 10 minutes before your slot.
Why book with us
- Flexible Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Cancel or reschedule online from your booking.
- Mobile ticket Your QR ticket appears on your phone once your payment is received.
- Secure checkout Encrypted checkout. No booking fees.