The Natural History Museum’s life sciences complex, the Darwin Centre in London, UK, is to close temporarily at the end of this month to allow the second phase of the building’s construction to begin.

The £65m, 180,000sq ft (16,700sq m) building is scheduled to open fully in 2008 and recently received planning permission from the royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

Phase One, housing the museum’s 22 million specimens including animals and fish, opened in 2002 and will be close until further notice.

The second phase, designed by C F Møller Architects, will add a comprehensive compilation of insects to the centre’s collection.

Richard Toy, project director of the scheme, said: “An innovative project like the Darwin Centre deserves to be housed in an inspirational building.”