Life, As We Know It
Phase 4 - Spring 2026
The Life, as we know it redisplay project has so far seen the installation of 36 new displays in 18 brand new showcases in the Museum's main court. The final set of main displays – 11 exhibits across 6 new cases – will open in May 2026, telling the story of the intricate relationships between planet and life.
Featuring reconstructions of past ecosystems, from the Carboniferous to the Pleistocene, the new exhibits will also offer visitors a brand new presentation of the historically important Oxfordshire dinosaurs, including Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur ever to be scientifically described. Alongside these new displays, visitors will also enjoy revamped touchable specimens and a digital interactive 'pod' – the Prehistoric Diver – that recreates Cambrian and Jurassic ocean environments.
This final phase of the redisplay project is generously supported by funding from Biffa Award. This award is a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to communities and environmental projects across England and Northern Ireland as part of the Government's Landfill Communities Fund.
Installation dates (February – April 2026)
While we work on the installation of the new exhibits some parts of the main court will be temporarily closed to visitors. We will, of course, endeavour to keep these closures to a minimum. The rest of the main court and all other parts of the Museum will remain open as usual.
Prehistoric Diver installation
This will be installed on 3-4 March, during which time a small part of the main court will be closed to visitors (see map below).
Area of the main court closed during installation of the 'Prehistoric Diver'
Phase 4 installation
The new main displays will be installed from Monday, 9 March 2026. It is expected that this work will take approximately six weeks with part of the main court being closed to facilitate work (see map below).
Area of the main court closed during installation of Phase 4, 'Life, as we know it'
Opening
It is anticipated that Phase 4 and the Prehistoric Diver will open in early May 2026.
Timeline of Life, as we know it
Phase 1 – 2018
Out of the Deep
In 2018, two large-scale permanent showcases were built to house our plesiosaur skeletons. These extinct marine reptiles swam in the warm seas of the Jurassic Period, 165 million years ago, in the area that is now Britain and form part of the south aisle's theme of Past ecosystems of Oxfordshire (see Phase 4).
Phase 2 – 2020
Biodiversity, Evolution and Earth
In 2020, ten new showcases were installed in the main court, constructed to complement the Out of the Deep cases. To retain the historical character of the Museum building, the new cases match the size, form and footprint of the outdated display cabinets they replaced.
These showcases house the first 20 displays under the Life, as we know it conceptual scheme, each containing two displays - one on each side. Their displays use the Museum's collections to illustrate our understanding of the dynamic, interconnected geological and life processes that give rise to rich biodiversity and vibrant ecosystems.
The centre court displays focus on the theme of biodiversity; the sides facing the north and south narrow galleries focus on How evolution works and How the Earth works.
Phase 3 – 2024
Present-day ecosystems and Evolution
In 2024, a further 16 displays were installed which together completed three thematic galleries: Biodiversity; How evolution works; and Present-day ecosystems. A series of stylised dioramas present ecosystems from six different environments, each looking at a critical process in the interactions between organisms and environment.
These thematic approaches allow for exciting reinterpretations of the Museum's collections, encouraging visitors to care about, engage with, and respond to the critical topics affecting the natural world.
