KS4 and KS5 Spirit Collection Tour

Go behind the scenes with our knowledgeable Learning Facilitators for a look at the Museum's fascinating zoology collection that is preserved in spirit.

As we explore some of the Darwin Centre's 27 kilometres of shelves, you'll encounter numerous treasures hidden among the 22 million animal specimens housed here.

You'll meet Archie, our 8.62-metre-long giant squid, view specimens collected by Charles Darwin himself and learn more about our cutting-edge research.

Tour suitability and capacity

The tour is for KS4 and KS5 only.

There must be at least one teacher accompanying each group. Maximum group size is ten (eg nine students and one teacher).

Tour guidance:

• Bags are not allowed on the tour, but there will be lockers available to use for small bags. You can also book in bag storage in our school picnic area if space is available.
• Due to the chemical smells in the tank room, the tours may also not be suitable for pregnant visitors.
• If you'll be using a wheelchair on this tour, please let us know in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements.
• Teachers are responsible for the students behaviour while on the tour. Due to the behind the scenes nature of the tour we will have a strict set of behaviours the group must adhere to, both for your safety and that of the collection. If these are not met, the guide may have to stop the tour.
• Teachers must stay with their group during your visit.

Tour dates and times

The tour runs at 11.00, 11.30, 12.00, 12.30, 13.00, 13.30, 14.00, and 14.30 on selected weekdays. The duration is 30 minutes.

All shows must be prebooked by phone. To explore individual timeslots for days, please view the availability calendar linked below.

Please note any session must be booked at least three weeks in advance.

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