The main exhibition room at the Natural History Museum in London is cathedral-like, with Hope the blue whale suspended mid-air like a demigod. There is a “great unlocking” happening in this building, home to one of the world’s largest natural history collections. They rotate inside like a spice rack and, in theory, the DNA should be protected for ever in those conditions. Less than 6% of the museum’s collection is online. ‘A great unlocking’ Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of researchers all over the world having online access to collectionsThe museum’s collection is outgrowing the confines of its Victorian structure.

Source: The Guardian May 13, 2021 04:52 UTC