London's Natural History Museum is always a treat to visit. Now it has new gardens and an installation to hear what it sounds like beneath the Thames. Both are perfect places to experience the wonders of the natural world, and to sit and meditate if you want to.
Wildlife Havens
A new green space outside the museum lets visitors explore how life on Earth has changed over millennia. The Evolution Garden offers a journey through time from fossils, prehistoric plants, dinosaurs, and ancient insects to the first mammals. The other side is a present-day urban environment that makes space for wildlife. It has forested paths, wildlflowers and ponds. There are plenty of benches to sit on - or even lie on - so you can relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature around you in the centre of the city.
I've regularly been blogging about green London in an effort to dispel a prevalent myth in the pagan community that it's just all concrete. This is a perfect example of how more room is being made for trees and plants, as well as increasing awareness of the importance of nature for our physical and mental wellbeing.
The River
Inside the museum you can experience what it sounds like in the depths of the River Thames through an audio installation by Jana Winderen and Tony Myatt. As it says on the museum website: "The River explores the beauty and importance of underwater sound and how human-made noises can contribute to sound pollution in our waters."
It is entirely an aural artwork. You can sit on a beanbag or bench, listen to the recordings and relax. It's a lovely place to meditate or just unwind after walking around the other galleries. The exhibition is on until 26 January 2025.
Visiting
The Natural History Museum is at Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. The gardens, The River installation, and the Natural History Museum itself are free to visit, but it can help to reserve a ticket in advance. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/08/green-london-brockwell-park-in-south.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/06/green-london-lincolns-inn-fields.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/08/green-london-ruins-of-st-dunstans-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/08/a-story-ammonite-dream.html
No comments:
Post a Comment