Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (entomon) 'insect' and - λογία ( -logia ) 'study') is the scientific study of insects , a branch of zoology . In the past the term insect was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arachnids , myriapods , and crustaceans . This wider meaning may still be encountered in informal use. The field is also referred to as insectology in American English, while in British English insectology implies the study of the relationships between insects and humans.
76-458: Francis Walker (31 July 1809 – 5 October 1874) was an English entomologist . He was born in Southgate, London , on 31 July 1809 and died at Wanstead , England on 5 October 1874. He was one of the most prolific authors in entomology , and stirred controversy during his later life as his publications resulted in a huge number of junior synonyms . However, his assiduous work on the collections of
152-688: A French sculptor based in London, M Dujardin, working to drawings prepared by the architect. The central axis of the museum is aligned with the tower of Imperial College London (formerly the Imperial Institute) and the Royal Albert Hall and Albert Memorial further north. These all form part of the complex known colloquially as Albertopolis . Even after the opening, the Natural History Museum legally remained
228-519: A broad theme. This is the zone that can be entered from Exhibition Road, on the East side of the building. It is a gallery themed around the changing history of the Earth. Earth's Treasury shows specimens of rocks, minerals and gemstones behind glass in a dimly lit gallery. Lasting Impressions is a small gallery containing specimens of rocks, plants and minerals, of which most can be touched. This zone
304-538: A code of ethical behavior" (ESA Certification Corporation). Individuals who are planning to become Certified IPM Technicians (CITs), need to obtain at around 1-4 years of experience in pest management and successfully pass an exam, that is based on the information, that they are acquainted with (ESA Certification Corporation). Like in Public Health Entomology (PHE), those who want to become Certified IPM Technicians (CITs) also have to "agree to ascribe to
380-499: A code of ethical behavior" (ESA Certification Corporation). These individuals must also be approved to use pesticides (ESA Certification Corporation). For those who plan on becoming Board Certified Entomologists (BCEs), individuals have to pass two exams and "agree to ascribe to a code of ethical behavior" (ESA Certification Corporation). As with this, they also have to fulfill a certain amount of educational requirements every 12 months (ESA Certification Corporation). Forensic entomology
456-635: A cross-section of topics as diverse as molecular genetics , environmental archaeology , behavior , neuroscience , biomechanics , biochemistry , systematics , physiology , developmental biology , ecology , morphology , and paleontology . Over 1.3 million insect species have been described, more than two-thirds of all known species. Some insect species date back to around 400 million years ago. They have many kinds of interactions with humans and other forms of life on Earth. For example, species such as P. pyralis conduct bioluminescent reactions in their light-emitting organs, which have been
532-641: A department of the British Museum with the formal name British Museum (Natural History) , usually abbreviated in the scientific literature as B.M.(N.H.) . A petition to the Chancellor of the Exchequer was made in 1866, signed by the heads of the Royal , Linnean and Zoological societies as well as naturalists including Darwin , Wallace and Huxley , asking that the museum gain independence from
608-429: A fee by booking onto one of the several Spirit Collection Tours offered daily. On arrival at the museum, the specimen was immediately frozen while preparations commenced for its permanent storage. Since few complete and reasonably fresh examples of the species exist, "wet storage" was chosen, leaving the squid undissected. A 9.45-metre acrylic tank was constructed (by the same team that provide tanks to Damien Hirst ), and
684-400: A giant gastropod shell , then a coprolite , and now a concretion of a worm's tunnel), has been part of the collection since its discovery in 1921. The museum keeps a wildlife garden on its west lawn, on which a potentially new species of insect resembling Arocatus roeselii was discovered in 2007. The museum is divided into four sets of galleries, or zones, each colour coded to follow
760-806: A highly praised "How Science Works" hands on workshop for school students demonstrating the use of microfossils in geological research. The museum also played a major role in securing designation of the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has subsequently been a lead partner in the Lyme Regis Fossil Festivals. In 2005, the museum launched a project to develop notable gallery characters to patrol display cases, including 'facsimiles' of Carl Linnaeus , Mary Anning , Dorothea Bate and William Smith . They tell stories and anecdotes of their lives and discoveries and aim to surprise visitors. In 2010,
836-466: A nephew of the mistress of a Trustee was appointed Entomological Assistant despite not knowing the difference between a butterfly and a moth. J. E. Gray (Keeper of Zoology 1840–1874) complained of the incidence of mental illness amongst staff: George Shaw threatened to put his foot on any shell not in the 12th edition of Linnaeus ' Systema Naturae ; another had removed all the labels and registration numbers from entomological cases arranged by
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#1732794183440912-415: A rival. The huge collection of the conchologist Hugh Cuming was acquired by the museum, and Gray's own wife had carried the open trays across the courtyard in a gale: all the labels blew away. That collection is said never to have recovered. The Principal Librarian at the time was Antonio Panizzi ; his contempt for the natural history departments and for science in general was total. The general public
988-604: A six-part BBC documentary series was filmed at the museum entitled Museum of Life exploring the history and behind the scenes aspects of the museum. Since May 2001, the Natural History Museum admission has been free for some events and permanent exhibitions. However, there are certain temporary exhibits and shows that require a fee. The Natural History museum combines the museum's life and earth science collections with specialist expertise in "taxonomy, systematics, biodiversity, natural resources, planetary science, evolution and informatics" to tackle scientific questions. In 2011,
1064-603: A tour of various British museums starting in 2018 and concluding in 2020 at Norwich Cathedral . The blue whale skeleton, Hope, that has replaced Dippy, is another prominent display in the museum. The display of the skeleton, some 82 feet (25 m) long and weighing 4.5 tonnes, was only made possible in 1934 with the building of the New Whale Hall (now the Mammals (blue whale model) gallery ). The whale had been in storage for 42 years since its stranding on sandbanks at
1140-411: Is a branch of forensic science that studies insects found on corpses or elsewhere around crime scenes. This includes studying the types of insects commonly found on cadavers , their life cycles, their presence in different environments, and how insect assemblages change with decomposition . Medical entomology is focused upon insects and arthropods that impact human health. Veterinary entomology
1216-404: Is a centre of research specialising in taxonomy , identification and conservation. Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin . The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture—sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature —both exemplified by
1292-605: Is a patron of the museum. There are approximately 850 staff at the museum. The two largest strategic groups are the Public Engagement Group and Science Group. The foundation of the collection was that of the Ulster doctor Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753), who allowed his significant collections to be purchased by the British Government at a price well below their market value at the time. This purchase
1368-566: Is accessed from the Cromwell Road entrance via the Hintze Hall and follows the theme of the evolution of the planet. To the left of the Hintze Hall, this zone explores the diversity of life on the planet. Enables the public to see science at work and also provides spaces for relaxation and contemplation. Accessible from Queens Gate. The museum runs a series of educational and public engagement programmes. These include for example
1444-434: Is included in this category, because many animal diseases can "jump species" and become a human health threat, for example, bovine encephalitis. Medical entomology also includes scientific research on the behavior, ecology, and epidemiology of arthropod disease vectors , and involves a tremendous outreach to the public, including local and state officials and other stake holders in the interest of public safety. Anthecology
1520-609: Is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington , the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum . The Natural History Museum's main frontage, however, is on Cromwell Road . The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany , entomology , mineralogy , palaeontology and zoology . The museum
1596-523: Is possible for members of the public to visit and view non-exhibited items for a fee by booking onto one of the several Spirit Collection Tours offered daily. Arguably the most famous creature in the centre is the 8.62-metre-long giant squid , affectionately named Archie. As part of the museum's remit to communicate science education and conservation work, a new multimedia studio forms an important part of Darwin Centre Phase 2. In collaboration with
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#17327941834401672-489: Is stolen from the museum, and a group of intrepid nannies hide inside the mouth of the museum's blue whale model (in fact a specially created prop – the nannies peer out from behind the whale's teeth, but a blue whale is a baleen whale and has no teeth). Additionally, the film is set in the 1920s, before the blue whale model was built. The museum features as a base for Prodigium, a secret society which studies and fights monsters, first appearing on The Mummy . In
1748-649: Is the sheer volume of his work. An unsigned obituary began "More than twenty years too late for his scientific reputation, and after having done an amount of injury almost inconceivable in its immensity, Francis Walker has passed from among us". Edward Newman , in contrast described him as the "most voluminous and most industrious writer on Entomology this country has ever produced" and said of him "I never met anyone who possessed more correct, more diversified, or more general information, or who imparted that information to others with greater readiness and kindness." Kenneth G.V. Smith wrote: [Walker's] 'Catalogues of Insects in
1824-428: Is the study of pollination and the relationships between flowers and their pollinators . It has received increasing attention in the interest of agriculture science amid the impacts of pollinator decline from human actions. Many entomologists specialize in a single order or even a family of insects, and a number of these subspecialties are given their own informal names, typically (but not always) derived from
1900-463: Is to him [Gray] that the Public owe the admirable helps to the study of natural history which have been afforded by the series of inventories, guides, and nomenclatures, the publication of which began, at his instance, in the year 1844, and has been unceasingly pursued. A mere list of the various printed synopses which have grown out of Dr. Gray's suggestion of 1844 would fill many such pages as that which
1976-526: The BBC's Natural History Unit (holder of the largest archive of natural history footage) the Attenborough Studio—named after the broadcaster Sir David Attenborough —provides a multimedia environment for educational events. The studio holds regular lectures and demonstrations, including free Nature Live talks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. One of the most famous and certainly most prominent of
2052-673: The Geological Museum . The Darwin Centre is a more recent addition, partly designed as a modern facility for storing the valuable collections. Like other publicly funded national museums in the United Kingdom, the Natural History Museum does not charge an admission fee. The museum is an exempt charity and a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport . The Princess of Wales
2128-736: The National Museum of Ireland , Dublin; Zoologische Staatssammlung München and the School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt . Francis Walker was the son of John Walker of Arnos Grove , who was a fellow of the Royal Society , the Linnean Society and the Royal Horticultural Society . Born into a wealthy and educated Quaker family, Francis spent the years 1816 (when he was seven years old) to 1820 (when he
2204-586: The Royal Entomological Society in London in 1833, one of the earliest such societies in the world; earlier antecedents, such as the Aurelian society date back to the 1740s. In the late 19th century, the growth of agriculture, and colonial trade spawned the "era of economic entomology" which created the professional entomologist associated with the rise of the university and training in the field of biology. Entomology developed rapidly in
2280-500: The 19th and 20th centuries and was studied by large numbers of people, including such notable figures as Charles Darwin , Jean-Henri Fabre , Vladimir Nabokov , Karl von Frisch (winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine ), and twice Pulitzer Prize winner E. O. Wilson . There has also been a history of people becoming entomologists through museum curation and research assistance, such as Sophie Lutterlough at
2356-541: The 2014 film Paddington , Millicent Clyde is a devious and treacherous taxidermist at the museum. She kidnaps Paddington, intending to kill and stuff him, but is thwarted by the Brown family after scenes involving chases inside and on the roof of the building. The museum was prominently featured in the Sky One 2014 documentary David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive where several extinct creatures exhibited at
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2432-467: The British Museum (Natural History). For a recent balanced account of this remarkable man see Graham (1979). partial (Walker wrote over 300 scientific papers and notes). — and Entomologist Like several of the other fields that are categorized within zoology , entomology is a taxon -based category; any form of scientific study in which there is a focus on insect-related inquiries is, by definition, entomology. Entomology, therefore, overlaps with
2508-535: The British Museum Collections' will always stand as a tribute to his industry. Walker (1836) also described the Diptera from Captain P. P. King 's collection made on the first surveying voyage of Adventure and Beagle . Fortunately, many of his descriptions of Darwin's insects will endure because they were of little-known groups from little-worked regions and most of his types are still in
2584-481: The British Museum had great significance. Between June 1848 and late 1873 Walker was contracted by John Edward Gray Director of the British Museum to catalogue their insects (except Coleoptera ) that is Orthoptera , Neuroptera , Hemiptera , Diptera , Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera . Walker largely accomplished this and (Edwards, 1870) wrote of the plan and by implication those who implemented it: It
2660-569: The Entomological Society of America have varying credential requirements. These different programs are known as Public Health Entomology (PHE), Certified IPM Technicians (CITs), and Board Certified Entomologists (BCEs) (ESA Certification Corporation). To be qualified in public health entomology (PHE), one must pass an exam on the types of arthropods that can spread diseases and lead to medical complications (ESA Certification Corporation). These individuals also have to "agree to ascribe to
2736-653: The Entomological Society of America launched a new professional certification program for the pest control industry called the Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). To qualify as a "true entomologist" an individual would normally require an advanced degree, with most entomologists pursuing a PhD. While not true entomologists in the traditional sense, individuals who attain the ACE certification may be referred to as ACEs or Associate Certified Entomologists. As such, other credential programs managed by
2812-609: The Natural History Museum an institution for everyone, Owen transformed our expectations of what museums are for". Owen saw that the natural history departments needed more space, and that implied a separate building as the British Museum site was limited. Land in South Kensington was purchased, and in 1864 a competition was held to design the new museum. The winning entry was submitted by the civil engineer Captain Francis Fowke , who died shortly afterwards. The scheme
2888-605: The Natural History Museum and stopped using the title British Museum (Natural History) on its advertising and its books for general readers. Only with the Museums and Galleries Act 1992 did the museum's formal title finally change to the Natural History Museum . In 1985, the museum merged with the adjacent Geological Museum of the British Geological Survey , which had long competed for
2964-530: The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History . Insect identification is an increasingly common hobby, with butterflies and (to a lesser extent) dragonflies being the most popular. Most insects can easily be allocated to order , such as Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) or Coleoptera (beetles). However, identifying to genus or species is usually only possible through the use of identification keys and monographs . Because
3040-486: The Waterhouse building retitled The Life Galleries . The Natural History Museum's own mineralogy displays remain largely unchanged as an example of the 19th-century display techniques of the Waterhouse building. The central atrium design by Neal Potter overcame visitors' reluctance to visit the upper galleries by "pulling" them through a model of the Earth made up of random plates on an escalator. The new design covered
3116-542: The board of the British Museum, and heated discussions on the matter continued for nearly one hundred years. Finally, with the passing of the British Museum Act 1963 , the British Museum (Natural History) became an independent museum with its own board of trustees, although – despite a proposed amendment to the act in the House of Lords – the former name was retained. In 1989 the museum publicly re-branded itself as
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3192-489: The body preserved using a mixture of formalin and saline solution . The museum holds the remains and bones of the " River Thames whale ", a northern bottlenose whale that lost its way on 20 January 2006 and swam into the Thames. Although primarily used for research purposes, and held at the museum's storage site at Wandsworth . Dinocochlea , one of the longer-standing mysteries of paleontology (originally thought to be
3268-735: The casting, copying the original held at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History . 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 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 major European capitals and in Central and South America, making Dippy
3344-424: The class Insecta contains a very large number of species (over 330,000 species of beetles alone) and the characteristics distinguishing them are unfamiliar, and often subtle (or invisible without a microscope), this is often very difficult even for a specialist. This has led to the development of automated species identification systems targeted on insects, for example, Daisy , ABIS, SPIDA and Draw-wing. In 1994,
3420-562: The collections of the Entomological Club founded in 1826 by George Samouelle and Edward Newman among others. He relied on family money for his main income. In 1834, Walker, a lifelong friend of another Quaker Edward Newman , took up the editorship of the Entomological Magazine unpaid for one year. In 1837, he began working on a contract basis for the British Museum where he remained until 1863. Walker
3496-503: The collectors tended to be from the aristocracy, and there developed a trade involving collectors around the world and traders. This has been called the "era of heroic entomology". William Kirby is widely considered as the father of entomology in England. In collaboration with William Spence , he published a definitive entomological encyclopedia, Introduction to Entomology , regarded as the subject's foundational text. He also helped found
3572-524: The day before Hope was unveiled for public display. The Darwin Centre is host to Archie , an 8.62-metre-long giant squid taken alive in a fishing net near the Falkland Islands in 2004. The squid is not on general display, but stored in the large tank room in the basement of the Phase 1 building. It is possible for members of the public to visit and view non-exhibited items behind the scenes for
3648-473: The exhibits—nicknamed " Dippy "—is a 105-foot (32 m)-long replica of a Diplodocus carnegii skeleton which was on display for many years within the central hall. 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 paid £2,000 (equivalent to £272,185 in 2023) for
3724-592: The general mass of visitors. As a result of the catalogues an immense amount of material was added to the collections. Collaborating with Alexander Henry Haliday , a lifelong friend, he was one of the first students of the Chalcidoidea . He was also a close friend of John Curtis . Walker was a member of the Entomological Society . Walker's specimens are in the Natural History Museum , London; Hope Department of Entomology , University of Oxford;
3800-652: The grounds of the museum. His successors also applied to the trustees for permission to destroy decayed specimens. In 1833, the Annual Report states that, of the 5,500 insects listed in the Sloane catalogue, none remained. The inability of the natural history departments to conserve its specimens became notorious: the Treasury refused to entrust it with specimens collected at the government's expense. Appointments of staff were bedevilled by gentlemanly favouritism; in 1862
3876-529: The individual entitled to that name. No man can be truly called an entomologist, sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp." — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. , The Poet at the Breakfast Table . Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history . It
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#17327941834403952-415: The large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling . The Natural History Museum Library contains an extensive collection of books, journals, manuscripts, and artwork linked to the work and research of the scientific departments; access to the library is by appointment only. The museum is recognised as
4028-399: The limited space available in the area. The Geological Museum became world-famous for exhibitions including an active volcano model and an earthquake machine (designed by James Gardner), and housed the world's first computer-enhanced exhibition ( Treasures of the Earth ). The museum's galleries were completely rebuilt and relaunched in 1996 as The Earth Galleries , with the other exhibitions in
4104-412: The modern sense began only relatively recently, in the 16th century. Ulisse Aldrovandi 's De Animalibus Insectis (Concerning Insect Animals) was published in 1602. Microscopist Jan Swammerdam published History of Insects , correctly describing the reproductive organs of insects and metamorphosis . In 1705, Maria Sibylla Merian published the book Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium about
4180-448: The most-viewed 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 . After 112 years on display at the museum, the dinosaur replica was removed in early 2017 to be replaced by the actual skeleton of a young blue whale , a 128-year-old skeleton nicknamed " Hope ". Dippy went on
4256-637: The mouth of Wexford Harbour , Ireland in March 1891 after being injured by whalers. At this time, it was first displayed in the Mammals (blue whale model) gallery, but now takes pride of place in the museum's Hintze Hall. Discussion of the idea of a life-sized model also began around 1934, and work was undertaken within the Whale Hall itself. Since taking a cast of such a large animal was deemed prohibitively expensive, scale models were used to meticulously piece
4332-469: The museum including Dippy the Diplodocus were brought to life using CGI . The museum features prominently in the level Lud's Gate from Tomb Raider III , with Core Design launching the game with Jonathan Ross at the museum on 15 October 1998. Andy Day 's CBeebies shows, Andy's Dinosaur Adventures and Andy's Prehistoric Adventures are filmed in the Natural History Museum. The museum
4408-475: The museum is free, though there are donation boxes in the foyer. Museum Lane immediately to the north provides disabled access to the museum. A connecting bridge between the Natural History and Science museums closed to the public in the late 1990s. The museum plays an important role in the 1975 London-based Disney live-action feature One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing ; the eponymous skeleton
4484-409: The museum led the setting up of an International Union for Conservation of Nature Bumblebee Specialist Group, chaired by Dr. Paul H. Williams, to assess the threat status of bumblebee species worldwide using Red List criteria. The closest London Underground station is South Kensington — there is a tunnel from the station that emerges close to the entrances of all three museums. Admission to
4560-440: The pre-eminent centre of natural history and research of related fields in the world. Although commonly referred to as the Natural History Museum, it was officially known as British Museum (Natural History) until 1992, despite legal separation from the British Museum itself in 1963. Originating from collections within the British Museum, the landmark Alfred Waterhouse building was built and opened by 1881 and later incorporated
4636-528: The public in 2002, and it houses the zoological department's 'spirit collections'—organisms preserved in alcohol . Phase Two was unveiled in September 2008 and opened to the general public in September 2009. It was designed by the Danish architecture practice C. F. Møller Architects in the shape of a giant, eight-story cocoon and houses the entomology and botanical collections—the 'dry collections'. It
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#17327941834404712-632: The reader has now before him. The consequence is, that in no department of the Museum can the student, as yet, economise his time as he can economise it in the Natural-History Department. Printed , not Manuscript, Catalogues mean time saved; disappointment avoided; study fructified. No literary labour brings so little of credit as does the work of the Catalogue-maker. None better deserves the gratitude of scholars, as well as of
4788-448: The scientific name of the group: Like other scientific specialties, entomologists have a number of local, national, and international organizations. There are also many organizations specializing in specific subareas. Here is a list of selected very large insect collections, housed in museums, universities, or research institutes. "I suppose you are an entomologist?" "Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on
4864-418: The structure together. During construction, workmen left a trapdoor within the whale's stomach, which they would use for surreptitious cigarette breaks. Before the door was closed and sealed forever, some coins and a telephone directory were placed inside—this soon growing to an urban myth that a time capsule was left inside. The work was completed—entirely within the hall and in view of the public—in 1938. At
4940-530: The subject of much research, especially in recent years. Entomology is rooted in nearly all human cultures from prehistoric times, primarily in the context of agriculture (especially biological control and beekeeping ). The natural Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) wrote a book on the kinds of insects, while the scientist of Kufa , Ibn al-A'rābī (760–845 CE) wrote a book on flies, Kitāb al-Dabāb ( كتاب الذباب ). However scientific study in
5016-475: The time it was the largest such model in the world, at 92 feet (28 m) in length. The construction details were later borrowed by several American museums, who scaled the plans further. The work involved in removing Dippy and replacing it with Hope was documented in a BBC Television special, Horizon : Dippy and the Whale , narrated by David Attenborough , which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 13 July 2017,
5092-465: The tropical insects of Dutch Surinam . Early entomological works associated with the naming and classification of species followed the practice of maintaining cabinets of curiosity , predominantly in Europe. This collecting fashion led to the formation of natural history societies, exhibitions of private collections, and journals for recording communications and the documentation of new species. Many of
5168-412: The walls in recycled slate and sandblasted the major stars and planets onto the wall. The museum's 'star' geological exhibits are displayed within the walls. Six iconic figures were the backdrop to discussing how previous generations have viewed Earth. These were later removed to make place for a Stegosaurus skeleton that was put on display in late 2015. The Darwin Centre (named after Charles Darwin )
5244-435: The west and east wings respectively. This explicit separation was at the request of Owen, and has been seen as a statement of his contemporary rebuttal of Darwin's attempt to link present species with past through the theory of natural selection . Though Waterhouse slipped in a few anomalies, such as bats amongst the extinct animals and a fossil ammonite with the living species. The sculptures were produced from clay models by
5320-413: Was a traveller with a liking for mountains. His known trips are: Walker is notable in the present time for the large number of synonymous taxa he described. A careless taxonomist by today's standards, he often gave more than one name to the same species . In this respect, however, he was no worse than many entomologists of his time; what makes for the more common occurrence of Walker's taxa in synonymy
5396-559: Was completed in 1880. The new museum opened on 18 April 1881, although the move from the old museum was not fully completed until 1883. Both the interiors and exteriors of the Waterhouse building make extensive use of architectural terracotta tiles to resist the sooty atmosphere of Victorian London, manufactured by the Tamworth-based company of Gibbs and Canning . The tiles and bricks feature many relief sculptures of flora and fauna, with living and extinct species featured within
5472-477: Was designed as a new home for the museum's collection of tens of millions of preserved specimens, as well as new work spaces for the museum's scientific staff and new educational visitor experiences. Built in two distinct phases, with two new buildings adjacent to the main Waterhouse building, it is the most significant new development project in the museum's history. Phase one of the Darwin Centre opened to
5548-530: Was eleven) in Switzerland at Geneva , Lucerne and Vevey where the family party was joined by Madame de Staël , the poet Lord Byron and some Swiss naturalists gathered around Nicolas Théodore de Saussure . With his brother Henry (1825–1892), Francis collected butterflies on an ascent of Mount Pilatus in 1818 and so was an entomologist at age nine. In 1840 Walker married Mary Elizabeth Ford. He lived at Arnos Grove and at 49 Bedford Square which housed
5624-589: Was funded by a lottery. Sloane's collection, which included dried plants, and animal and human skeletons, was initially housed in Montagu House, Bloomsbury , in 1756, which was the home of the British Museum . Most of the Sloane collection had disappeared by the early decades of the nineteenth century. Dr George Shaw (Keeper of Natural History 1806–1813) sold many specimens to the Royal College of Surgeons and had periodic cremations of material in
5700-516: Was not encouraged to visit the museum's natural history exhibits. In 1835 to a Select Committee of Parliament, Sir Henry Ellis said this policy was fully approved by the Principal Librarian and his senior colleagues. Many of these faults were corrected by the palaeontologist Richard Owen , appointed Superintendent of the natural history departments of the British Museum in 1856. His changes led Bill Bryson to write that "by making
5776-578: Was taken over by Alfred Waterhouse who substantially revised the agreed plans, and designed the façades in his own idiosyncratic Romanesque style which was inspired by his frequent visits to the Continent. The original plans included wings on either side of the main building, but these plans were soon abandoned for budgetary reasons. The space these would have occupied are now taken by the Earth Galleries and Darwin Centre. Work began in 1873 and
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