Museusite de esportesHistória Naturalsite de esportesLondres reabre oferecendo 'nova experiência':site de esportes

Legenda do vídeo, Museusite de esportesHistória Naturalsite de esportesLondres se reinventa e reabre oferecendo 'nova experiência'

The story…

Famous London museum reopens

museums

Need-to-know language

airy – having lots of light and space

galleries – rooms for displaying objects

exploring – looking around and discovering new things

extensive – large amount and varied

Answer this…

How old is Sophie the Stegosaurus?

Watch the video online: https://bbc.in/2DJDXvs

Transcript

A cathedral to nature, forced into an unseasonal hibernation.

The pandemic closed the Natural History Museum for its longest period since World War Two. And like businesses everywhere as they reopen, fewer people will be coming to visit.

Clare Matterson, Executive Director of Engagement, Natural History Museum

It'll be about 15 percent of what we would normally expect at this time of the year. So that's why it's important to book your ticket online and then we can carefully limit numbers - make sure everyone is really safe. And the great thing about our spaces, as you can see, is they're big, open, airy spaces. So, we have a few galleries [which are] one way, but in the other spaces you will be free to roam.

Exploring is the aim when you visit. Yet, washing your hands, sanitising and staying apart are the drill, like everywhere.

The museum has the most extensive natural history collection in the world - 80 million items.

A government support package to protect the future of theatres, galleries and museums around the UK was announced last month, worth one point five billion pounds to the sector.

But there is nervousness about what the constantly changing health situation could mean.

Lorraine Cornish, Head of Conservation, Natural History Museum

We know that there's a possibility that something may come along that means we might have to close again. But at the moment, we're making the most of the opportunity to open up the museum. The public can have a great time.

At a hundred and fifty million years old, Sophie the Stegosaurus has endured it all. But will enough of us come to visit to see her through the next few?

Did you get it?

How old is Sophie the Stegosaurus?

She is a hundred and fifty million (150,000,000) years old.