The Grant Museum of Zoology is a compact natural history museum inside University College London’s Rockefeller Building, in Bloomsbury. Founded in 1828 as a teaching collection, it holds preserved animals, fossils, insects and skeletons, including remains of the extinct dodo, Tasmanian tiger and quagga. Look closely at the cases for unusual details, from jars of preserved moles to delicate glass models of sea creatures. The Micrarium, a floor-to-ceiling display of microscopic slides, gives a closer view of tiny specimens. Admission is free.
A teaching collection at UCL
Robert Edmond Grant founded the museum in 1828 as a zoological teaching collection at University College London. Its purpose was to help students study animal anatomy and natural history. The museum remains part of UCL and is housed in the Rockefeller Building, in a former Edwardian library.
The collection has grown to around 67,000 to 68,000 specimens, spanning the animal kingdom. Only a portion is on display, arranged in glass cases in a compact space. Skeletons, taxidermy, fossils and specimens preserved in fluid sit alongside insects and microscope slides. The displays include both familiar animals and examples that are rare or extinct.
Extinct animals and unusual specimens
Among the collection’s notable remains are bones of the dodo and a skeleton of the quagga, a zebra relative hunted to extinction in the 1880s. The museum also has Tasmanian tiger specimens and the skull and antlers of a giant deer. These remains let visitors look closely at animals that no longer exist.
The cases include more than skeletons. Preserved animals in jars, including a well-known group of moles, sit alongside taxidermy and animal brains. Some displays show dissected specimens, so the collection may not suit visitors who prefer to avoid graphic material. Other details range from intricate glass models of sea creatures to a large elephant skull. Labels identify the objects, though the close-packed displays mean there is plenty to inspect at your own pace.
The Micrarium and newer displays
The Micrarium brings the collection’s smallest life forms into view. More than 2,000 microscopic slides are set into a three-sided, back-lit display that extends from floor to ceiling. It offers a different scale from the large skeletons and skulls elsewhere in the museum.
The museum reopened in February 2024 after a refurbishment, with six new showcases about human impacts on biodiversity and UCL research using the collections. Its displays connect the specimens to questions in zoology and conservation, while preserving the character of a university collection built for close study. The museum also hosts events, including family-friendly sessions where children can investigate specimens and ask a zoologist questions.
Perguntas frequentes
Is the Grant Museum of Zoology free?
Admission to the museum is free. Some specific events may have different arrangements.
What can you see at the Grant Museum of Zoology?
The collection includes skeletons, fossils, preserved animals, taxidermy, insects and microscopic slides. Highlights include dodo and quagga remains and the Micrarium.
How long should you spend at the Grant Museum of Zoology?
The museum is compact, but its densely arranged cases reward a slow look. The available information does not specify a typical visit length.
Is the Grant Museum of Zoology suitable for children?
The displays can interest children who enjoy skeletons and animal specimens. Some exhibits are dissected or preserved in fluid, which may not suit everyone.
