Life in the Dark, Natural History Museum

All manner of night owls and party animals are indigenous to London – but a very different kind of nightlife will take centre stage in the Natural History Museum's new exhibition. If you loved the episode of Blue Planet that explored the uncharted, darkest depths of the ocean, you won't want to miss Life in the Dark.

Enter the darkness to explore the world of the truly nocturnal through a series of installations showcasing the incredible power of creatures who survive without sunlight.

Life in the Dark, Natural History Museum. Photo: © Trustees of the Natural History Museum

From caves to oceans, from cuddly koala bears to eerie lanternfish, the exhibition features some of the most interesting and elusive animals on the planet. Visitors to the Museum be among the first human beings to see some recently identified specimens, thanks to the latest scientific and technological advancements that allowed researchers to go where no man has gone before.

With immersive installations and live specimens, this might just be the Museum's most ambitious exhibition yet. Enter the chaos of a real bat cave, and experience underwater luminescence courtesy of a deep sea light show. Life in the Dark will shed light on the secret lives of the creatures of the night.

Professor Geoff Boxshall, science lead on the exhibition, stated, 'At any one time, half the world is in darkness, and no sunlight ever reaches the deep sea or underground caves. Yet the night-time world is teeming with life and both the deep sea and caves are inhabited by a myriad of species. Even in the absence of light, life has found a way.'

A true homage to Darwin, the patron saint of London's Natural History Museum, Life After Dark promises a captivating portrait of the natural superpowers of adaptation.

Life in the Dark, Natural History Museum. Photo: © Trustees of the Natural History Museum