SimplyAbuDhabi XLIX

R ising above South Kensington in terracotta arches, towers, columns, and intricate ornamentation, Alfred Waterhouse’s extraordinary building looks more like a cathedral than a museum. That is no coincidence. When the Natural History Museum opened here in 1881, its first superintendent, Sir Richard Owen, envisaged precisely that: a “cathedral to nature”, grand enough to celebrate the diversity of the natural world and, unusually for the time, accessible to everyone. Nearly a century and a half later, the sense of wonder remains. Look closely at the building and nature is everywhere. Animals and plants emerge from columns and walls; extinct creatures inhabit the east wing, while living species decorate the west. Across the ceiling of Hintze Hall, 162 individual panels depict plants from around the world. Suspended dramatically overhead is Hope, the 25.2-metre skeleton of a blue whale. Installed in 2017, she replaced the much-loved Diplodocus cast known as Dippy, which had occupied the central hall for decades. Simply Abu Dhabi | 129