Science and visits go hand in hand at the Darwin Centre
November 26 2007
The Natural History Museum, a historical listed building, is located in South Kensington, London. The original Waterhouse building opened to the public in 1881. Visitors could gaze in astonishment at exhibits that included the collection of specimens brought back by botanist Joseph Banks from his trip on board Captain James Cook’s ship the Endeavour. The museum now houses the largest and most important natural historical collection in the world, with more than 70 million specimens. More space was needed and that is why the first phase of the Darwin Centre opened its doors in 2002. Imtech (Imtech UK) has since been called in for the technology - electrical engineering solutions, security and the complete air and climate technology – for the second phase of this Darwin Centre, designed by Danish architects C.F. Møller. The building consists of a 65-metre long, eight storey high cocoon that will both symbolically and actually protect the 28 million insects and six million plants. The controlled conditions do not give heat, damp or vermin a chance. The Darwin Centre also houses an ultra-modern laboratory for the museum’s scientific staff. It will be the only location in the UK where visitors can have contact daily with experts in the natural sciences and see how these collections help provide insight. Into discovering causes of diseases, for example, and into preserving delicate ecosystems all over the world.
The Natural History Museum, a historical listed building, is located in South Kensington, London. The original Waterhouse building opened to the public in 1881. Visitors could gaze in astonishment at exhibits that included the collection of specimens brought back by botanist Joseph Banks from his trip on board Captain James Cook’s ship the Endeavour. The museum now houses the largest and most important natural historical collection in the world, with more than 70 million specimens. More space was needed and that is why the first phase of the Darwin Centre opened its doors in 2002. Imtech (Imtech UK) has since been called in for the technology - electrical engineering solutions, security and the complete air and climate technology – for the second phase of this Darwin Centre, designed by Danish architects C.F. Møller. The building consists of a 65-metre long, eight storey high cocoon that will both symbolically and actually protect the 28 million insects and six million plants. The controlled conditions do not give heat, damp or vermin a chance. The Darwin Centre also houses an ultra-modern laboratory for the museum’s scientific staff. It will be the only location in the UK where visitors can have contact daily with experts in the natural sciences and see how these collections help provide insight. Into discovering causes of diseases, for example, and into preserving delicate ecosystems all over the world.