.blog Featured Site: naturalhistorymuseum.blog

We love that the diversity of blogs means they can be owned by your next-door neighbor or an institution that’s been operating for over 140 years. The featured dotblogger we have for you today is naturalhistorymuseum.blog.

The Natural History Museum is located in London. They opened their doors in 1881 and have stayed on the cutting edge of science ever since. This popular tourist destination and leading science research centre also maintains an active and engaging blog.

Meet the Natural History Museum

If you’re interested in natural history, you’ll be amazed at the diversity of exhibitions on display at the Natural History Museum. 

The museum curates more than 80 million life and earth specimens that are grouped into collections of zoology, botany, mineralogy, paleontology, and entomology. And due to the long history of the museum, it’s even home to important specimens collected throughout history, such as those of Charles Darwin.

As well as being a tourist attraction, the museum has a strong focus in the areas of research, education, conservation, and digital collections, with an emphasis on discovery, learning, and sharing their findings with the world.

How The Natural History Museum Uses their Blog

The Natural History Museum uses its blog to give readers a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s activities. It’s a platform through which librarians, researchers, curators, staff, and volunteers can share their experience and expertise with the world. Their collective blog posts provide patrons with more in-depth information than they would gather just from visiting the museum for a day.

In one post, you can read about what the museum staff do to prep for moving specimens to a new location. In other posts, you can find the daily diary of a Principal Curator. And in recent years, they have been sharing information about the work they’re doing to digitize and preserve the work, research, and discoveries of the past.

How the blog helps engage and educate

The blog has become a valuable resource for meeting the demands of inquisitive minds, and even more so during the pandemic. While the museum was closed due to Covid, the blog has continued to provide a way for people to stay engaged and connected with the work of the museum.

Overall, the blog serves two purposes:

1. Allows people to read updates and engage with the museum

The Natural History Museum effectively uses its blog to keep people engaged in the work they’re doing and in the natural history around them. They use their blog to provide insight into  the detailed workings of the museum. Instead of simply looking at historic specimens, they answer the who, what, why, when, where, and how questions of their passionate readers.

In addition to educating, and sharing information, the museum uses its blog to inspire their readers to get involved. For example, they recently challenged readers to participate in the worldwide City Nature Challenge. Those interested were encouraged to get outside, photograph nature in their city, and share their observations.

2. Provides volunteers a platform for sharing experiences

The Natural History Museum blog also provides a medium for staff and volunteers to share their passion, experiences, stories, and tips with others. By sharing the pride and passion they have for their work and workplace with the world, they also maintain their individual involvement. And it can encourage others who may want to volunteer at the museum or who are interested in pursuing a career in this line of work.

Blogs are fun ways to engage and educate

If you’re looking for ways to further engage and educate an audience, this blog is a great example. The content takes the museum experience a step further. It is a perfect resource for museum visitors who are left wanting more when they leave. The museum blog provides a wealth of knowledge and an insider’s guide to the treasures of the Natural History Museum.