Jane's Midlife Journey

Bournemouth Natural Science Museum has been in existence for over a century. Located in a grand Victorian Grade II listed building on the outskirts of Bournemouth, I had driven past it many times without noticing its existence. Tucked back from the road, most of the year the museum is only open once a week, but in August this increases to three days a week.

How to get to Bournemouth Natural Science Museum

The museum is just east of Bournemouth. By car, it is on the A35 (main road from Bournemouth to Boscombe). The entrance is easy to miss, but there is a sign outside on days when the museum is open.

By Bus

Buses number m2, 1a/1b/1c and X3 all stop at Derby Road directly outside the museum building.

Parking

The museum has a small, free car park (25 spaces).

Times

The museum is open most Tuesdays throughout the year from 10 am until 4 pm. During August, it is also open on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Price

Entry is free, but donations are welcome.

History

The Bournemouth Natural Science Society was formed in 1903. The museum primarily houses exhibits donated by past members. It acquired its present premises in 1919.

Museum

The museum has an interesting collection of artifacts as detailed below. However, what really makes the visit enjoyable is the fact that each room has volunteers on hand to bring the collection to life. The friendly and knowledgeable volunteers will tell you about the room’s collection and answer any questions you may have, so you come away feeling enriched. In many rooms, it is also possible to interact with some of the specimens.

Animals

The museum has a collection of thousands of natural history specimens including plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and eggs. Most are to look at, but there is a table of exhibits which visitors are permitted to handle. Orla was fascinated to feel how fluffy an owl’s feathers were and how prickly a hedgehog was.

Live animals also sometimes put in an appearance. On our last visit, there were snakes, lizards, beetles, spiders, stick insects and millipedes. I conquered my fear of spiders and held a tarantula.

Geology

There is an extensive collections of fossils, rocks and minerals.

You can look at these with the naked eye or examine further under a microscope. Orla’s face was too small for the microscope, so the lovely volunteer offered her a magnifying glass instead. She was mesmerised.

Archaoleogy

Numerous archaeological artifacts are on display, many of which were discovered locally, including Stone and Iron Age tools and Roman pottery.

Egyptology

The Egyptology collection boasts a 2500 year old mummy in its sarcophagus. We didn’t stay long here as I wasn’t sure how to describe a mummy to a 2 year old…

Garden

The grounds of the building feature a garden aimed at encouraging wildlife in an urban environment.

Bournemouth Natural Science Museum for Children

There are plenty of activities for children. The friendly volunteers are on hand to tell children all about the collections, let them touch exhibits and offer hands-on activities. Surprisingly popular in this age of technology, was a 1940s slide viewer.

Orla absolutely loves it here. The friendly volunteers go out of their way to instill a fascination in the natural world in the children, explaining, demonstrating and enabling children to get up close to exhibits. There is often even the opportunity to pet a tarantula or maybe a snake.

A monthly Young Explorers Group for children aged of 7-12 gives talks on a range of subjects from the history of WW2 to the Story of Electricity. Sessions cost £5 each. Further details can be found here.

• Updated: August 2025

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.