It's taken years to fully evolve, but finally we can move on from the dinosaurs: yesterday Prince William and Sir David Attenborough (who else?) unveiled the National History Museum's latest addition, the Darwin Centre. Today it went public.
And what better way to learn about the birds and the bees? There's the eight-storey Cocoon, now home to 17 million insect and three million plant specimens, as well as over 200 scientists. Here the public will be able to watch the decoding of DNA, witness the naming of newly discovered species, see how specimens are prepared and even quiz some of the scientists on their latest research. Other attractions include the 12 metre-high Climate Change Wall, which displays films and interactive graphics to demonstrate the earth's changing climate, and the Attenborough Studio, where you can see specially-created natural history footage.
Up to 2,500 people can visit each day, but you'll still need to reserve a slot in advance; call + 44 20 7942 5725 or visit nhm.ac.uk/darwin-centre. Admission is free.
For more information on the Darwin centre visit: nhm.ac.uk. To find out more about Darwin, read London: in Darwin’s footsteps.
