National History Museum

Today was a *very* cold but beautifully sunny day, so I ventured out braving the chilly wind.

I decided to be a tourist and explore the National History Museum, which is exhibiting a vast range of specimens comprising 80 million pieces within botany, mineralogy, entomology, zoology, and paleontology. The most famous dinosaur skeleton is the 32m long Diplodocus (or Dippy) dominating the main hall. Ever seen 'Night at the Museum'? Imagine this one coming to life!

About Dippy:

The cast was given as a gift by the Scottish American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, after a discussion with King Edward VII, then a keen trustee of the British Museum. Carnegie arranged for the cast to be created at his own considerable expense of £2,000, copying the original held at the Carnegie Museum. The pieces were sent to London in 36 crates, and on 12 May 1905, the exhibit was unveiled, to great public and media interest (the real fossil had yet to be mounted, as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh was still being constructed to house it). As word of "Dippy" spread, Mr. Carnegie paid to have additional copies made for display in most of the major European capitals and in Latin and South America, making Dippy the most-seen dinosaur skeleton in the world. The dinosaur quickly became an iconic representation of the museum and has featured in many cartoons and other media, including the 1975 Disney comedy One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing.

Let me give you a quick tour around the museum:

A tree blooming in January!

Poor little elephant, totally worn out!

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