May 30th - September 28th, 2008
Held at the Queen's Gallery until September 28th, the Amazing Rare Things gallery offers a fascinating insight into the world of rare animal and plant species.
With an audio guide narrated by Sir David Attenborough, visitors are offered a unique opportunity to see intricate anatomical drawings of some of the natural world's most beautiful and bizarre creatures.
One of the principal contributors to this extensive collection is Leonardo da Vinci, who shows the scientific naivety of early understanding of animal anatomy, Time Out explains.
"Restricted access to fresh cadavers meant that his comparisons of a bear’s foot and a cow’s uterus to human equivalents passed into the grey area of hypothesis and guess work," the magazine explains.
Cassiano dal Pozzo and British botanists Alexander Marshal and Mark Catesby also feature prominently, as does 17th century flower painter Maria Sibylla Merian.
For those who wish to take a piece of the exhibition home with them, there is also an accompanying book entitled Amazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery available for £9.95.
Full-price tickets are available for £8.50, with a range of concessions offered. Those hoping to reach the exhibition can do so using Chiltern Railways' train services.
Did you know that you can travel between London and Birmingham for as little as £5? Click here to find out about our Chiltern Railways E ticket
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