6 amazing things to see at the Natural History Museum's Venom: Killer and Cure exhibition

From the most venomous land animal on Earth to an ant that’s more deadly than a cobra, here are six sights to wow brave kids

Venom: Killer and Cure
Natural History Museum, London – until 13 May 2018

Opened in November, the Natural History Museum’s latest exhibition gives visitors a chance to discover some of the world’s most venomous creatures – 250 startling specimens in total – on display together for the first time. Not suitable for younger children, the exhibition serves up the visceral fear of encountering these dangerous beings, but you can also discover the other side of venom – how it has been used to save lives and treat conditions such as diabetes.

1. A real dragon

Visitors can get up close to the body of the most venomous land animal on the planet – a 2.5 metre Komodo dragon. A large species of lizard, it can grow to be more than 90kg.

2. The world’s deadliest ant

Even more dangerous than a cobra, the bullet ant is also thought to deliver the most painful sting of anything on Earth.

3. Come face-to-face with a vampire bat

Given the name because their food source is, you guessed it: blood – mostly that of mammals and birds, but occasionally humans... Eek.

4. The biggest spider in the world

See a live Goliath birdeater – the largest spider in the world (by mass and size, not leg-span). It can grow as big as a child's forearm and weighs as much as a puppy.

5. The snake with the biggest poisonous fangs

Take a look at a Gaboon viper head. A species of snake with the biggest known venom fangs, it also delivers the largest amount of venom in one single bite.

6. Wasps with zombie venom

The Emerald cockroach wasp uses its venom to zombify its prey. It will target the cockroach and after paralysing it will use it as a host for its larvae while it’s still alive.