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A Barbary Lion skull in the Treasures gallery

Workmen digging up the moat around the Tower of London in 1937 were surprised to find this extraordinarily well-preserved Barbary Lion skull. This lion was the jewel of the royal zoo in the Tower around 700 years ago. Purebred North African Barbary lions are now extinct in the wild.

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You can find out more about our fascinating collections online, including 12 highlights of the Treasures gallery, or find out what else there is to see in the Museum.

Read more about our collections

Collections

Twelve highlights of our Treasures Gallery

A royal lion skull, a Moon rock, a famous gorilla, even Darwin’s pigeons: uncover some of the most extraordinary specimens we care for.

Collections

Giants of Today Trail

Why do some animals grow so big? Follow this trail around the Museum to discover some of today's giants and explore the highs and lows that come with being big.

News

The first known dinosaur egg? A new discovery from the Museum's collection

A serendipitous discovery revealed that a beautiful mineral has been hiding a secret for over 170 years.

29 March 2023

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