Oxford University Museum of Natural History

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is defined by its massive, glass-roofed court supported by cast-iron columns shaped like palm trees. Built in the eighteen fifties, it houses an enormous collection of specimens, including the world’s first described dinosaur, the Megalosaurus. When it opened, the building hosted a famous debate about evolution between Thomas Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. The Bishop asked if Huxley was descended from an ape on his grandmother's or grandfather's side, while the scientific community cheered his response.