<P> The Natural History Museum in London is a natural history museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history . It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum . The Natural History Museum's main frontage, however, is on Cromwell Road . </P> <P> The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology and zoology . The museum is a centre of research specialising in taxonomy, identification and conservation . Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin . The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture--sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature--both exemplified by the large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling . The Natural History Museum Library contains extensive books, journals, manuscripts, and artwork collections linked to the work and research of the scientific departments; access to the library is by appointment only . The museum is recognised as the pre-eminent centre of natural history and research of related fields in the world . </P> <P> Although commonly referred to as the Natural History Museum, it was officially known as British Museum (Natural History) until 1992, despite legal separation from the British Museum itself in 1963 . Originating from collections within the British Museum, the landmark Alfred Waterhouse building was built and opened by 1881 and later incorporated the Geological Museum . The Darwin Centre is a more recent addition, partly designed as a modern facility for storing the valuable collections . </P> <P> Like other publicly funded national museums in the United Kingdom, the Natural History Museum does not charge an admission fee . The museum is an exempt charity and a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport . Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is a patron of the museum . There are approximately 850 staff at the Museum . The two largest strategic groups are the Public Engagement Group and Science Group . </P>

When was the london natural history museum built