Tail of the whale

In the grand Hintze Hall of the Natural History Museum in London, a skeleton named Hope soars overhead—a blue whale caught mid-dive above the heads of awestruck visitors. As we mark International Museum Day, there's no better time to celebrate our world's repositories of history, art and science. This day was established in 1977 by the International Council of Museums. It emphasises the importance of museums as a means of cultural exchange, the development of mutual understanding and cooperation among people. The theme of the International Museum Day in 2024 is 'Museums for Education and Research.'
© Bailey-Cooper Photography/Alamy