Apparently the Giant Squid at the Natural History Museum (London, UK) is ready for viewing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4756514.stm

First I heard was this news report. I was going to go on a members tour, but it was cancelled!

Hooray! the london bus comparison lives!

Agamemnon!

I did not know that the Falkland Archi was going on display just yet, so thanks for the alert, Capn.

I am definitely going to visit this specimen sometime soon. I think it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks though, I've been to the Darwin Centre a couple of times and one has to book a place for a trip. Given that this has now been announced on the BBC news, I suspect that the tour will be quite busy for a while. Unless one wants to get to the museum to book a place at 9am pronto, I'm not sure it'll be worth trying just yet.

However, this is a must see. Anyone fancy hosting TONMOCON 2 in London now? :)

Hooray! the london bus comparison lives!

Is that diagram accurate? My understanding was that the colossal was about as long as the archi.

The British Museum of Natural History now has a webpage (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2006/feb/news_5255.html) on the Falkland specimen and an interesting 3 minute film (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2006/feb/preparation-of-giant-squid.html) on the stages of preparation of the specimen.

It's really great to note that the BMNH actually has this very website as their top external link to information on Architeuthis!!!

YAY!! :squidaut: :party: :cheers:

(I wish the specimen had been on display when we went through the Darwin Centre, Kat. You could have told us all about it; you'll have to make a special return trip now!)

Will it still be there in April 2007? :wink:

Don't see why not Kat. I can't imagine the beast being taken from public view after being announced with such a furore of publicity. Are you coming back for some more research?

Mayyyyyyybe. I'll definitely be back at some point, and that's looking like a good candidate time-wise. Hey! Perhaps I should try to be there for our birthday! :party:

Given that this has now been announced on the BBC news, I suspect that the tour will be quite busy for a while. Unless one wants to get to the museum to book a place at 9am pronto, I'm not sure it'll be worth trying just yet.


Excellent advice. I tried to go today, and it was booked full by midday. You can apparently phone book for some of the tours, which sounds like the way to go. Also note that they won't let in any children under the age of 10. Something to do with the danger of alcohol fumes.

I expect it will be there for quite a while. All that effort to preserve the squid won't be wasted. I just wish it was more of a public exhibit, and not something you have to book way ahead to see on a private tour.

Perhaps I should try to be there for our birthday!

May 2nd! The Chinese month of the cephalopod. Good plan, keep me posted. Maybe a few of us TONMO British chaps could meet up in London, we've got plenty of time to arrange it.

I expect it will be there for quite a while. All that effort to preserve the squid won't be wasted. I just wish it was more of a public exhibit, and not something you have to book way ahead to see on a private tour.

You just took the words from my mouth!

Our trip to the museum wasn't totally wasted:

What's the little ceph in the stroller's name? How cute!

What's the little ceph in the stroller's name? How cute!

The little pink ceph in the stroller is one of KRin's (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/member.php?u=82) little creatures. It doesn't really have a name - we just call her Squiddy. The little one holding squiddy is Annalena.

I finally managed to get through and book a tour of the Darwin Centre. It is booked full until March 15 (10 days ahead), so I'm heading there on the 16th. Unfortunately Annalena won't be allowed in, but I'll take Squiddy along, and take lots of photos.

May 2nd! The Chinese month of the cephalopod. Good plan, keep me posted. Maybe a few of us TONMO British chaps could meet up in London, we've got plenty of time to arrange it.



You just took the words from my mouth!

Aye aye Phil. Great idea. They do have quite a nice model of Archi in the mollusc area too and some splendid glass cephs. I would post some pictures I took, but I don't have them here.

They do have quite a nice model of Archi in the mollusc area too and some splendid glass cephs.

Avast ye, Cap'n. These be they!

What, this one? :roll:

Oh bum.

I finally got on to the tour of the Darwin Center, and spent some quality time with Archie. I've uploaded a small video here:
http://squidblog.net/uploads/giantsquid1.avi
(You'll need the Xvid video codec to view the video. See: http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/
Not as impressive as the video on the NHM site, but it does give you an idea of just how big this creature really is.

I'll write a bit more about the experience some time soon.