Once
upon a time,
animals and plants lived undisturbed by human beings. Now that we have taken over, wildlife in Portsmouth is just an echo of its former self
- but what an echo! We have one of the most exciting places in the
country for wildlife - the mudflats, marshes, seashores, woodland,
grassland and built-up areas of the city mean we can attract all sorts
of different species right to our front door.
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Cumberland House
Natural History Museum
Entrance to Cumberland House Natural History Museum is FREE!
Portsmouth is a very special place for wildlife in Britain. It has many different habitats in a very small area, and at Portsmouth Natural History Museum you can explore them all.
The museum tells the story of the wild things of the riverbank, marshes, woods and urban areas of Portsmouth. Have a look for the heron stalking its prey and the Brent geese coming into land after their 3000 km flight from the arctic. You can also learn about Portsmouth's geology and take a look in the new exhibition room. The displays are designed to allow visitors a view of the natural world as they could never see it in real life - up close and in depth.
Portsmouth Natural History Museum also houses an aquarium and butterfly house. The butterflies fly from May to September, and fish swim all year round. Also look out for the axolotls, Ebony and Ivory, and the other live insects on display.
Current exhibitions
‘Art and Nature’ combines pictures and creatures to show how artists are inspired by nature. By bringing the two together, people can see the inspirations behind art works and explore the nature that lives in the habitats portrayed.
Also see a display of photographs upstairs at Cumberland House. They were taken by students at the Harbour School, Stamshaw and show a variety of animals. They will be on display from August 2010 until January 2011 when we are hoping to display a new selection of photographs.
Click here to find out more about Portsmouth Museums & Records Society, our 'Friends' organisation which supports the work of our museums.
All pictures are copyright of Portsmouth Museums and Record Service
