National Museum of Natural History
Inaugurated on 5th June 1978- World Environment Day, National Museum of Natural History is located on Barakhamba Road, opposite Embassy of Nepal in FICCI building easily recognized by a large model of dinosaur. Established as an institution to promote awareness on the natural heritage of India, the National Museum of Natural History is the only place in the capital to give detailed information about country’s rich flora and fauna and other environmental issues through exhibits. Educating while entertaining, the museum has theme based galleries and hands-on activity areas.
The first gallery of the museum presents an introduction to the origin and evolution of life and presents the variety and diversity of the flora and fauna of India. It has sections presenting plants and animals in their natural habitat, information about endangered animals, patterns, adaptation and life cycle of terrestrial, aerial and aquatic animals and pollination process in different types of flowers. The next gallery of the museum gives an overview of the major ecosystem of the world, issues concerning environmental hazards, food chains, and inter-relationship between man, flora and fauna.
Throwing light on conservation, the third gallery of the museum informs its importance through life size dioramas and models. The whole process of deforestation, the need of tropical rain forests, depletion of wildlife, the problem of pollution and population are all well explained through a range of intriguing exhibits. The piece de resistance of this gallery is the exhibit the attributing the contribution of Bishnoi community of Rajasthan to conservation of flora and fauna.
The fourth gallery of the museum is solely dedicated to ‘Cell’, the structural and functional unit of life. It explains the structure, functions, difference between plant and animal cells and many other related issues through large displays and models.
A must visit place for children and school students, the museum has a large collection of fossils and stuffed animals and birds apart from a Discovery Room, a Bio-Science Computer Room, an Activity Room and a Mobile Museum.
The museum provides guided tours of the galleries by Educational Assistants at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM every day. On special request, the museum authorities organize useful interaction sessions for students and provide loan kits to schools to enrich classroom teaching as well as Teacher Orientation Programme.
Special Attractions/ Annual Events
Daily film shows on wildlife, conservation and the environment are screened at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM at the museum Auditorium. Eminent scientists and experts conduct public lectures under the monthly lecture series during the third or fourth week of the month apart from regular programmes for handicapped children. The museum in order to make youth and children aware of the environmental issues organizes month long summer programme every year. Nature-painting contest is also held for children of different age groups every year during the Wildlife Week (first week of October).
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