Natural History Museum at Tring (Hertfordshire)

One of the finest collections of stuffed animals in the United Kingdom

Summary Free admission Art and sculpture Gift shop Learning facilities

Introduction

The Natural History Museum at Tring was the private museum of Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild, today it is under the control of the Natural History Museum. It houses one of the finest collections of stuffed mammals, birds, reptiles and insects in the United Kingdom. The museum was first known as the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum, however in April 2007 the Natural History Museum changed its name.

The extensive collection, housed in several rooms, includes extinct animals and birds such as the quagga, thylacine, great auk and reconstructions of the moa and dodo. Oddities include hybrids and examples of abnormal coloration. The dogs display was relocated to the Rothschild Zoological Museum from the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London after World War II. These show how domestic dogs have changed shape due to selective breeding and include the tiny Russian and Mexican Lapdogs as well as famous racing greyhounds. The Museum has six galleries each one of which houses a different set of animals. The Museum also contains a Discovery Room, designed for young children and the Rothschild Room which is a room set out to recreate the surroundings that the Rothchilds would have worked in.

Opening times
Monday to Saturday 10.00-17.00
Sunday 14.00-17.00

The Museum is open every day except 24-26 December.
 

History to the present day

The Natural History Museum at Tring, was once the private museum of Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild, and is located in the grounds of the former Rothschild family home of Tring Park. The building was constructed in 1889 specifically to house his collection of mounted specimens and first opened to the public in 1892.