Beautiful Life, a free exhibition hosted by the Beijing Museum of Natural History (BMNH) was launched in the museum on Dec. 1^st 2020.

There’s an extremely large variety of creatures in different life forms on the earth, sharing a planet with human beings. They have diverse looks, dazzling colors and ingenious functions, be it a small insect, a flying bird soaring in the clouds, a galloping beast, an aquatic creature swimming underwater or a lush plant. They show the beauty of life in their own ways, as if they were dressing up for a banquet for the earth. The exhibition of Beautiful Life is independently curated by the Beijing Museum of Natural History. With the museum’s unique design, the exhibition adopted innovative ways of displaying to show the museum’s original academic achievements, while guiding the visitors to appreciate the beauty of life from new perspectives. A total of 399 specimens, rich in variety, are on display, including insects, birds, mammals, seashells, plants and others.

Now let’s have a look at the beauties of nature in the exhibition.

The Beauty of Insects

In the tiny body of insects, there are ingenious structures and specialized organs, for example, the sensory organ of tentacles, the visual organ of compound eyes and the feeding organ of mouthparts. The organs, the feet and wings all experience complicated development, endowing insects with unique beauty.

The Beauty of Mammals

Viviparous mammals are mostly furry four-legged vertebrates, but they are different in appearances and “personalities”. As highly-evolved species among living creatures, they are adaptable enough to inhabit places all over the world, either on land, in waters or in the sky. Their features are consistent with their living environments and lifestyles, and show distinctive beauty.

The Beauty of Seashells

The beauty of seashells is of strong visual impact. For millions of years, various kinds of shell were “sculptured” by nature’s extraordinary craftsmanship. Even the best architects may find the kaleidoscope of seashell design challenging.

The Beauty of Birds

The reason why birds can fly is that they have certain body structures and functions, which are developed according to the varied environments on earth. There are thousands of bird species on earth, each has their own differentiated beauty.

The Beauty of Plants

The looks of plants are outlined by their leaves, which are also the vegetative organs where organic matter is converted by photosynthesis. Leaves are shaped to be adaptive; they can be round, oval, oblong, diamond, fan, heart, palm-like or feather-like. The various shapes, tips, margins, bases and veins of leaves are the ornaments on the masterpiece paintings of the nature.

The Beauty of Fossils

Fossils are the remains, impressions or traces left by pre-historic creatures. They show morphological characteristics and living habits of creatures, which helps us understand ancient life. Fossils vividly record magical evolution of creatures, contain scientific significance and convey the meaning of life.

The Beauty of Birds and Mammals

Many animals nurtured by nature have special colors, like calming blue, fiery red and the contrast of black and white. Their bodies also show dynamic beauty when they are moving.

An interactive multi-media platform is set in the exhibition, where visitors can learn more about nature and, in particular, the beauty of life.

The exhibition is free and lasts for 3 months. Please book your tickets at least one day in advance on the official website or WeChat account of BMNH.