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Darwin Centre opens at NHM
The £78m Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in South Kensington, London, has opened its doors to the public on schedule.
At the centre of the new 16,700sq m (180,000sq ft) wing sits a 65m-long, eight-storey high cocoon accommodating 17 million insect and three million plant specimens in 3km of cabinets open to display to museum visitors. Some of the windows also feature a microphone to allow the public to question museum scientists while they carry out live research.
The museum has also teamed up with the BBC to showcase natural history film footage at the Attenborough Studio, while a 30sq m (323sq ft) Climate Change Wall featuring a collage of interactive screens provides information on global warming.
Yesterday's official opening was attended by HRH Prince William of Wales and Sir David Attenborough.
Michael Dixon, director of the museum, said: "We hope that Prince William will be the first of many visitors who will leave with a real sense of awe and wonder at nature, a better understanding of why the work of the Natural History Museum is so relevant - now more than ever - and be inspired to share in our collective responsibility over the future of the planet."
HGB Construction built the new wing according to the designs of Danish C F Møller Architects.
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