Explore animals and nature at these museums and galleries
Celebrate Earth Day by exploring animals and nature at these museums and galleries across the UK.
Show your love for the planet and all the incredible animals that inhabit it ahead of Earth Day by taking a trip to one of these museums and galleries across the UK. Find animals depicted in art, marvel at recreated habitat dioramas or go searching in the wild yourself for a fun family day out.
Why not count the deer at Holkham Hall, spot your favourite creature in the Natural History Museum’s collection or watch fish swim in Bolton Museum’s tranquil aquarium? Both adults and children will find lots to discover in our top picks of places to visit for some nature inspiration. Some of the venues are closed on Sundays and Mondays, so please check ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment.
And don’t forget, you’ll get fantastic benefits when you visit with a National Art Pass.
Learn about animals and natural history at these UK museums and galleries with a National Art Pass
National Museum of Scotland
In the collection at the National Museum of Scotland you’ll find sea mammals such as dolphins, porpoises and whales, and a lovely collection of minerals. Downloadable museum trails help you find nature all over the museum, including the Rewilding Trail where you can explore the history of Scotland’s native creatures, including salmon and eagles.
Natural History Museum
This iconic London museum explores 4.6 billion years of life on Earth. Here you can learn about the prehistoric era through to the natural world of today, and see fascinating exhibitions about animals, science, plant life and more. An annual highlight is the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, showcasing the very best in nature photography from around the world.
Nature in Art
Uniquely, everything in the art collection inside this Georgian mansion in Gloucestershire takes its inspiration from nature. Works of art by the likes of Picasso and glassmaker Lalique feature among watercolours, ceramics, oil paintings and more. The gallery also hosts exhibitions that explore the intersection of wildlife and creativity, as well as family events and creative courses.
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Have you ever seen a Japanese spider crab or marvelled at meteorites as old as the solar system? There are 20 varied displays at this museum that dive into the history of nature and the planet. Explore collections of palaeontology, insects and mineralogy, or uncover everything from extinct sea creatures and real-life whale skeletons to a teeny-tiny fish lizard.
World Museum
The World Museum in Liverpool is home to creatures hailing from the heights of the skies to the depths of the ocean. A fluid-preserved vertebrate collection includes unusual species of lizards, snakes and frogs, and you can get up close to your favourite creepy-crawlies in the Bug House.
Horniman Museum and Gardens
This South London haven is home to a butterfly house, aquarium and gorgeous gardens – swap the hustle and bustle of city life for some quality time with nature. In the Natural History Gallery you’ll find creatures of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the extinct Dodo to the iconic walrus, and there’s also a Nature Trail around the gardens so you can seek out wildlife yourself and enjoy the outdoors.
Natural History Museum (Colchester)
Discover the history and habitats of creatures great and small at this Colchester museum, and explore objects pertaining to climate change, biodiversity and more. Interactive displays offer the chance to get stuck in and explore local wildlife – listen to the roar of an ancient mammoth or discover a time when hippos roamed in Colchester!
Lapworth Museum of Geology
While this museum is primarily dedicated to the study of rocks, fossils and minerals, it also houses sizeable collections related to wildlife. Explore the connections between the Earth and the life that inhabits it through intriguing specimens such as fossilised fauna, carboniferous flora, vertebrates and invertebrates.
Manchester Museum
Spot plants from around the world, explore a bug’s life and roam the animal kingdom at Manchester Museum, with vast collections of botany, entomology and zoology. Plus, the museum’s events programme often includes a few nature-inspired gems exploring themes such as conservation.
Holkham Hall
On the sweeping North Norfolk coast, Holkham Hall is a known hotspot for herds of deer. See the stags and does that roam the land and explore the historic woodland full of wildlife. Holkham Hall is just a short way from the beach, where, if you’re lucky, you might spy a seal or two.
Bolton Museum & Aquarium
Find freshwater fish galore in Greater Manchester’s only public aquarium. Originally opened in 1941, the aquarium is now home to over 70 varieties of fish from the UK and around the world. Discover toothy piranhas and one of the smallest fish in the world, the pygmy glass, and learn all about aquatic conservation.
Ulster Museum
Known for its vast natural science collection, at Ulster Museum you can find marine life, insects, plants and birds, and many exhibits that have been found in and around Northern Ireland. A particular highlight is the Deep Time gallery – embark on a journey through the history of planet Earth, touch a piece of the oldest rock in Ireland and explore the environment today.
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.