London’s Natural History Museum has started work on the redevelopment of its gardens as part of the Urban Nature Project.
The museum is transforming its grounds into an accessible green space and biodiversity hub in the middle of London, with the five-acre site due to open to the public in summer 2023.
This week, the museum has started moving its pond flora and fauna to temporary homes, which is the first step in reinvigorating the wetland system in the gardens.
The aquatic biodiversity, water, plants, invertebrates and sediment are being stored in temporary homes over the winter before being moved to new ponds in spring 2023.
“This week marks an exciting new chapter for our gardens, redeveloping an outdoor space that has been in South Kensington for more than 130 years,” said Tom McCarter, head of the Natural History Museum’s gardens.
“The Urban Nature Project will allow visitors to explore the museum in a new way, reconnecting them with the outdoors and giving them the tools to safeguard nature in towns and cities, so that people and planet can thrive.”
Through the Urban Nature Project, NHM’s Wildlife Garden will be expanded, doubling the area of native habitats within the grounds. Elsewhere, new outdoor galleries will “tell the story of evolving life on Earth”.
The Natural History Museum secured a £3.2 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the redevelopment.
NHM’s Urban Nature Project
“People are now less connected to nature than at any time in our human existence,” said Drew Bennellick, head of land and nature policy at the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Creating places in the midst of our cities where people can see, understand and enjoy nature are critical to helping nature’s recovery,” he added.
“The Urban Nature Project is an exciting and innovative way to inspire and reconnect visitors to nature through accessing wildlife on the doorstep of the Natural History Museum.”
The Natural History Museum recently launched a fundraising campaign for its Urban Nature Project.
Images: Natural History Museum
