Explore the Museum

The galleries at Tring are packed with fascinating specimens - there are over 4,900 to see.

The private collection of Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild (1868-1937), became the basis of the collections housed at the Museum at Tring, located on the grounds of his family home.

To help you make the most of your visit, explore some of the highlights from each gallery.

Museum map

Plan your trip with the Museum map.

Download the map (PDF 2.2MB)

Gallery 1

Stand tall against an emperor penguin and come face-to-face with a polar bear.

See the highlights in Gallery 1

Polar bear

Museum founder Walter Rothschild bought this polar bear from the Northeast Siberian Trading Company. This specimen is one of many animals which were traded between North America and Siberia. It is thought to have provided the inspiration for Raymond Briggs' book, The Bear.

Where can I see it?
Case 17

Mandrill

In 1906 Walter bought George the mandrill and gave him to London Zoo to care for. George was well loved by the public and became a celebrity, even meeting US President Roosevelt. George died in 1916 and joined the Museum's collection.

Where can I see it?
Case 20

Emperor penguin

This emperor penguin is a type specimen, one of the first collected and could have been part of the several specimens from which the species was scientifically described. It is believed to be the oldest specimen on display in the Museum at Tring. It was collected on an Antarctic expedition between 1839 and 1843 by Joseph Dalton Hooker, who was a famous botanist and one of Charles Darwin's closest friends.

Where can I see it?
Case 8

Aye-aye

The strange looking aye-aye is believed to bring bad luck. Its fingers are used to scoop out fruit flesh or tap hollow wood to check for insects, although some people believe an aye-aye pointing at you is a bad omen.

Where can I see it?
Case 19

Gallery 2

This is our temporary exhibition space.

See the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year

See incredible compositions and stunning photographs that capture the beauty and fragility of the natural world taken by talented young photographers from across the globe.

Check back for the upcoming opening date of our 2025 edition.

Gallery 3

See one of the Museum's most famous exhibits: the dressed fleas.

See the highlights in Gallery 3

Dressed fleas

One of the Museum's most famous exhibits, these fleas were purchased in Mexico around 1905. They were handmade by women as a form of folk art and sold to tourists as souvenirs. Specimens of dressed fleas are now very rare.

Where can I see it?
Case 1

Gallery 4

See zebras and their relatives.

See the highlights in Gallery 4

Zebras

There are several zebras in the collection, including Burchell's zebra, named after English explorer William John Burchell, and Grevy's zebra, named after the then-president of France. Walter trained zebras to pull a carriage, using a pony at the front for them to follow.

Where can I see them?
Cases 2 to 5