A bunch of nocturnal creatures are crawling into the Natural History Museum

London is a city that comes alive after hours, as seasoned night owls swoop into the city’s bars and nightclubs. But no amount of sambuca shots will make up for the fact us humans aren’t really that suited to the nighttime. Not so, for the animal kingdom. On July 13, the Natural History Museum opens Life in the Dark, their new blockbuster exhibition shining a light on the miraculous, clever and bizarre ways animals have adapted to live in the darkest of darkness.

The family-friendly show (free for under-16s) scores high on the interactive scale. Visitors are able to touch nocturnal creatures, smell a bat cave, listen to the deepest reaches of the ocean and see the world through the eyes of a cave boa.

Football fish © Trustees of the Natural History Museum

From cute and cuddly sloths to squelchy vampire octopuses, an endless variety of animals are on display. The oddest among these include the bulbous, warty-looking football fish, a ‘Dumbo’ octopus (looks a bit like some pickled bananas) and the sinister giant deep sea isopod.

Don’t miss this opportunity to step over to the dark side.

Life in the Dark is on from July 13 - January 6 at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. To find out more click here.