Natural History Museum, London, UK

[suspsy]

In July 2014, I travelled to London for the first time. Among the many places on my itinerary was the Natural History Museum.

We begin with Dippy the Diplodocus, who is scheduled to be replaced by a blue whale.

10530899_10152592432129295_2944085737081717720_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Opthalmosaurus. I love how it's actually mounted as a skeleton as opposed to a flat fossil slab.

1908375_10152592432134295_7220254790475694832_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10492209_10152592432194295_178458208384964663_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And now we come to the main dinosaur display, the design of which is terrible. It's poorly lit, it's full of outdated information, and it gets so crowded on the second level catwalk that it becomes impossible to pause and look at the displays without someone asking you to keep moving. It seriously needs to be revamped. Anyway, here's the Camarasaurus.

10489847_10152592432234295_2814375279398136481_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Iguanodon in a classic/outdated pose.

10484125_10152592432364295_8599546479707415703_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Massospondylus

10561829_10152592432449295_2269688622276345287_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Tuojiangosaurus

10559822_10152592432544295_3090135913007873182_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Gallimimus

10487466_10152592432634295_2251904832022937879_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[docronnie]

Thanks for sharing! Watched Paddington and saw this Dippy .... 

[John]

That is one of the museums I would most like to see someday.The Natural History Museum,London seems to have the most impressive marine reptile gallery I know of anywhere in the world.

[suspsy]

The animatronic T. Rex. This was another area in desperate need of crowd regulation.

10500276_10152592432749295_4123171765995593067_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10570301_10152592432709295_8012933708880537262_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Head of another T. Rex

10574533_10152592432824295_114941416873955717_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Euplocephalus club

10389541_10152592432879295_6768684127840417309_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Baryonyx

10411993_10152592432279295_1947710216425871874_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10480010_10152592431304295_3205957999162549388_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

An assortment of dinosaur toys. Recognize them?

10565205_10152592431129295_7684268002606860232_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10540411_10152592431154295_1181572934432737921_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10399984_10152592432914295_1389147286090393062_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10492146_10152592431269295_4287001632392435694_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10527583_10152592431144295_7763206077500976957_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[suspsy]

The enormous and brightly lit mammal gallery contained a number of megafauna. Here's a Sivatherium.

10486969_10152592431834295_3032949879163516434_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Moeritherium

10526024_10152592440894295_4652506214042355839_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Deinotherium

10556520_10152592441079295_3840479077692105195_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Platybelodon

10487231_10152592441114295_8999993432631059994_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Cuvieronius

10473075_10152592441144295_4995932203023568404_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Mastodon

10562929_10152592441329295_7276696000812013127_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Elasmotherium with reconstructed horn. Criminally underrepresented in the world of toys!

10552539_10152592441479295_4991086545974893804_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Paleoparadoxia

983756_10152592443454295_3176949013687809430_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And finally, a recent loss.

10401989_10152592443439295_4559199796827067823_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10410636_10152592443709295_6319285892381011862_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[Doug Watson]

Thank you for sharing, great shots all things considered.

[suspsy]

My pleasure. I've got more photos to come, stay tuned!

[suspsy]

Mosasaurus

10487231_10152592441114295_8999993432631059994_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Plesiosaur specimens

10556285_10152592448024295_1959184866446955878_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10492318_10152592448244295_8496053117036807044_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Stenopterygius giving birth. This fossil amazes me to no end.

10550930_10152592448339295_8937778773935559248_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10519659_10152592448409295_3006440591721361606_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Temnodontosaurus

10418271_10152592448469295_6304403045694891823_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Ichthyosaurus

10557371_10152592448539295_8172976432701468978_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10537899_10152592448584295_8547890482896905022_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Even more ichthyosaurs

10553498_10152592448639295_6725642082520897237_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Rhomaleosaurus

10525899_10152592448124295_8360474684465604188_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10550918_10152592448164295_3895910892733472568_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Megatherium. One of my favourite megafauna.

10525879_10152592448754295_4590418430943719399_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10568996_10152592448764295_487821559628746644_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10534132_10152592448794295_2648744499472807476_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And more recent losses.

10527608_10152592448944295_599245139641848020_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[laticauda]

Love the photos. Looks like it was a great experience.

[docronnie]

Excellent shots ... what a beautiful and very informative museum.

It just ran into my head, if animals are becoming extinct, are there ones evolving or appearing?

[stargatedalek]

And another recent loss.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I think I see several recent losses.

It just ran into my head, if animals are becoming extinct, are there ones evolving or appearing?

We have seen the emergence of new sub-species evolving within recorded history (great white sharks and a few lizards namely), but I don't think any new species have evolved in recorded history (a few were bred into being but that's cheating ). As for new species being discovered, well that's still happening every day.

[Arul]

Thanks for sharing the photos suspsy kive that marine reptile  beautiful speciment

[suspsy]

No, you are correct, there are passenger pigeons and Carolina parakeets in that display as well. Poor fellows.

[suspsy]

And here was a bonus. The NHM was featuring a special exhibit: Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age. The star of the show was none other than Lyuba, the best preserved woolly mammoth ever found. Unfortunately, photography of her was not permitted, and there was even a guard standing watch over her case. Nevertheless, it was incredible to examine her up close.

Here's what I was allowed to photograph. First, another Moeritherium. Note the differences in the snout between this reconstruction and the older one from the mammal hall.

10460957_10152592448964295_4519685810462954407_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Deinotherium

10553553_10152592449004295_1934517600319029572_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Gomphotherium

10439455_10152592449199295_8581223933246972556_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

Ambelodon

10505575_10152592449049295_8534493977052163845_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10422397_10152592449099295_531271744553983156_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[laticauda]

So what did you think of Lyuba?

[suspsy]

One of the most remarkable paleontological finds I've ever had the honour of seeing in person. The level of preservation is astounding. The fact that Lyuba's little trunk is completely intact is especially nice. And to think that they've even been able to extract her mother's milk from her stomach.

We should all be grateful that Lyuba wasn't lost to science. She very nearly was!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyuba

[suspsy]

The ferocious Homotherium. It deserves a toy. Smilodon shouldn't have all the fame.

10559832_10152592449399295_5225868381880239460_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10537118_10152592449834295_2999185283798802923_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10405681_10152592449694295_3034091743056626255_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

The towering Arctodus. Another megafauna worthy of plastic immortalization. And despite all that I have read about its limbs being too gracile for predation, I can't look at a sculpture like this and simply think 'scavenger.'

10513531_10152592449289295_7928173920507188353_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10513531_10152592449289295_7928173920507188353_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10547458_10152592449434295_854773236477458875_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[suspsy]

The mighty Columbian mammoth. Has this ever been made into a toy?

10563016_10152592449934295_4464940713928424310_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10565156_10152592449484295_6861152478617298997_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10547458_10152592449509295_6679430361623167292_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And finally, the adorable pygmy mammoth. Only stood about five feet high.

10527269_10152592449809295_4943910224738987609_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

10445977_10152592449819295_6497455225877772661_n by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

Great pictures! I really like the proboscideans. The models look very lifelike. The megatherium is an exceptional mount as well. I was lucky enough to see the original in DC before it was removed from display.

[laticauda]

I have been keeping my eye out for a good Columbian mammoth toy. Starlux made a mastodon, but I think that is as close as they have come that I know of.