Overview
Billions of years of treasures from the Earth and beyond can be found on our treasure hunt at the Natural History Museum. Perfect for families with kids, book a Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt and explore this ‘Cathedral to Nature’! This purpose built Victorian building is an architectural wonder, with every wall and column covered in climbing monkeys, ancient creatures, foliage and fossils. Discover the earliest fossil bones ever unearthed, the man who named them “dinosaurs” and meet your ape-like ancestors as you race against the clock and through the whole universe to reach the tricera-top score! There are only 80 million specimens in the museum, how hard can it be?!
The idea is simple: compete against each other, or the clock, to photograph your team in front of as many pieces as possible within a given amount of time (90 mins to 2 hrs). A variety of additional THATMuse bonus challenges, from the embarrassing to the illuminating, are embedded in your treasure text, ensuring that hunters read about their treasure — making the hunt educational, fun & interactive!
Photo credit (above): Diliff
Please scroll down (on this page) for themes, sample & prices
Themes
Dinosaurs & Extinct Beasts
This inaugural hunt at the Natural History Museum takes you through millions of years of history. Meet extinct creatures from the frightful T-rex to the flightless dodo. Find space rocks that predate Earth, mammoths hunted by early man, and marine reptiles that ruled the ancient oceans.
Sample clue
SOPHIE THE STEGASAURUS
Wyoming, United States, Late Jurassic, 155-150 million years ago
Sophie is the most complete of her species, with 85% of the bones intact. She – or he, we can’t know — took 18 months to unearth in 2003. Look closely to see that only the left foreleg, the base of the tail, and a few other small bones are missing. Stegosaurus likely used its spiked tail for defence. Looks dangerous, right? The plates on the back, however, remain a mystery. Maybe they cooled the dinosaur down, or maybe they scared away predators. Dinosaur skeletons like Sophie have been popular since 1868, when the first dinosaur skeleton was shown in Philadelphia. For 10 THATMuse Points, pay attention throughout the hunt to find the name of the first dinosaur ever discovered. The way they are posed are guesses of how the dinosaurs stood, but new technology is changing how we understand these prehistoric beasts. Please earn 30 THATMuse Points for creating a photo with all team members using their hands as Stegosaurus plates on the largest team member’s body. Score 10 THATMuse Points if you find the name of a prehistoric fern located in one of the displays behind Sophie (to the right of the escalator) used as a design in the museum’s pillars. Grab 10 THATMuse Points if you can photograph a fern in the museum’s architecture.
Prices
CLASSIC HUNT: £95 for families (6 people or fewer)
LUXE HUNT: £300/3 hours (6 people or fewer), including score tallying & prize-giving ceremony!
GROUP HUNT:contact us here for a quote (corporate team building, b’day parties, hen hunts, etc)
Extras
London Street Hunt
Want to keep the fun going after your museum treasure hunt? Our first London Streets Treasure Hunt is a completely self contained experience, starting outside the British Museum and taking you all the way to Trafalgar Square. Search for hidden secrets, family crests, magical alleyways and strange statues as you learn about the six (!) wives of King Henry VIII and how he shaped the city you see today.
The London Streets Hunt takes around 60-90 minutes from start to finish but it is not timed. Stop to explore the many landmarks on the route, grab some lunch at Covent Garden, or avoid the rain at the London Transport Museum and continue hunting in your own time.
Or race against the clock, and your friends or colleagues! Our street hunts make great team-building events for schools or companies as well as customized birthday party events! Add one to your booking today, or Contact Us for a quote.
Practical info
Hours
Open 10 – 5:50 pm every day
Getting there
Address
8 Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London SW7 5BD
TUBE / METRO
Equidistant from the South Kensington & Gloucester Road
BUS
Routes 14, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430 and C1 stop closest to the NHM
There are 3 separate entrances to the NHM:
Cromwell Road: This entrance is open and has step-free access. Closest Tube station: South Kensington
Exhibition Road: This entrance is open and has step-free access. Closest Tube station: South Kensington
Queen’s Gate: This entrance may be open during busy periods, such as holidays and half term. Closest Tube station: Gloucester Road
Tickets
No tickets needed — the Natural History Museum is free to visitors (although a £5 donation is suggested).
