Building a Mega Museum Hub: 28 Million Specimens Set to Move In by 2027!

Construction has begun on an impressive new building that will house millions of items from the Natural History Museum. This building, called the Science and Digitisation Centre, is being built at Thames Valley Science Park in Shinfield, near Reading. Once construction is finished in 2027, twenty-eight million objects will be moved into the new centre. These objects are part of the museum's massive collection, which includes specimens from every part of the world and covers 4. 6 billion years of Earth's history. The new centre will not only store these items but will also feature laboratories, public spaces for visitors, and a broadcast centre. Jessica Bradford, the director of collections at the Natural History Museum, expressed her excitement about the project. She described the building as 'absolutely vast,' with the storage areas alone covering the same space as three football pitches. She said, 'Our collection is vast and globally unique - we have 80 million specimens, 4. 6 billion years of the Earth's history, every part of the world represented from the solar system to the deep oceans, and 28 million of those extraordinary items are coming here to Thames Valley Science Park. '

Jessica Bradford also highlighted the importance of the laboratories that will be included in the new centre. She explained that the Natural History Museum has 400 researchers who actively work with the collection to address major global challenges, such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity. She said, 'We really want to accelerate that science, do more with our collections, and unlock those collections for the future of the planet. ' The new laboratories will help scientists study specimens more closely and find new solutions to protect the environment.

Dr Doug Gurr, another leader at the museum, said that once the centre is complete, Reading will have one of the largest and most important natural history collections in the world. He explained that the site was chosen because of the museum's strong relationship with the University of Reading. The museum and the university will work together on research projects and ask important questions like 'How do we preserve nature? ' and 'How can nature help us solve the planetary emergency? ' They will also offer joint educational programs, such as master's degrees in digitisation and technology, and provide opportunities for students to gain work experience. Construction is expected to finish in 2027, and the centre should be fully operational by 2031. This new facility will help scientists and students learn more about the natural world and work to protect it for future generations.