Natural History Museum's new display lets you interact with 'animals of the future'

A new exhibition which enables people to get up close and personal with ‘animals of the future’ has opened at the Natural History Museum.

The Visons of Nature exhibit, which opens this week, will take audiences on a global tour to the year 2125.

It will show how human actions have shaped our planet, and imagined scenarios explore how nature's resilience has enabled species to adapt to the threats they face in the 21st century, aided by collective action we can take today to protect the planet.

Audiences will journey from the Scottish Highlands to the Great Green Wall in Africa’s Sahel region and meet the species that call these landscapes home.

The animals shown, including a hawksbill turtle and a sparkle of fireflies, come to life as interactive holographic animations in the Microsoft headset. They are projected onto customised setworks which have been constructed to integrate with the animations.

Kevin Wright, Head of Commercial Projects at the Natural History Museum, says: “Through the use of Mixed Reality, the Museum is making the future of the natural world tangible to inspire advocates for the planet.

“We’re excited to see our visitors react to the exhibit with its combination of beautifully designed graphics and specimens from the Museum’s collections. We're certain it will spark vital conversations on how we should all take action to turn the tide on the world's toughest planetary challenges.”

The experience is powered by Microsoft’s mixed reality headsets and imagined and co-produced by SAOLA Studio, a creative studio specialising in building augmented reality experiences for cultural institutions, with the latest science and research from Museum scientists informing the narrative.

A built-in scientific copilot called Hope is on hand to describe each story along the way. On one stop, Hope prompts visitors to hold out a hand to greet a Darwin’s frog, which leaps off to explore its home, an urban park in the city of Concepción, Chile.

The species was close to extinction due to habitat loss in the 21st century, but the subsequent introduction of captive breeding programs meant species such as this frog could thrive in urban havens.

The new experience is part of the Museum’s advocacy program, Fixing Our Broken Planet, which aims to encourage visitors to reflect on their impact on the environment and feel inspired and empowered to protect our fragile planet.

Tickets are available now at nhm.ac.uk/visionsofnature.