Urban environments often prove challenging for all kinds of fauna, including pollinating insects, as traditional city layouts can lead to habitat loss and declining populations. But museums are showing that culture and conservation can thrive together by creating biodiversity islands — living laboratories where green spaces are redesigned as refuges for native species.

Biodiversity islands help in the ecological restoration of green spaces, promoting the presence of fauna that are part of trophic chains and contribute to the biological control of other species. These islands are typically enhanced with native vegetation, leaf compost, decomposing wood, insect hotels, ponds, and more to support the existence of food, refuge, and nesting areas. Here are some museums that are leading the way. 

In the heart of South Kensington, the Natural History Museum has reimagined more than two hectares of its grounds as a free-access biodiversity hub. The Urban Nature Project, led by architects Fielden Fowles and landscape designers J&L Gibbons, introduced grasslands, reedbeds, hedgerows, and wetlands that mirror UK habitats. This transformation not only supports pollinators and urban wildlife but also serves as an outdoor classroom for millions of annual visitors.

Beyond its grounds, the Museum’s scientific leadership extends to the global stage. Its Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII)—developed over a decade by NHM researchers—has become a vital metric for assessing ecosystem health. In September 2025, the NHM partnered with GIST Impact, following collaborations with Bloomberg, Cecil, and Dunya Analytics, to integrate BII data into financial systems. This enables investors to measure biodiversity risk across thousands of companies, aligning nature preservation with economic accountability. “We’ve made our cutting-edge research accessible to inform more sustainable investment decisions that shape how nature is protected and restored,” said Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has embraced ecological gardening, turning sections of its land into a biodiversity refuge with wildflowers and insect habitats. By transforming manicured lawns into thriving micro-ecosystems, the museum supports pollinators while offering an example of how heritage institutions can adapt to environmental imperatives. 

Since 2007, Madrid’s Museo de América has hosted a nesting pair of peregrine falcons in its tower, in collaboration with SEO/BirdLife. With installed nesting boxes and live cameras, the museum not only safeguards a protected species but also brings biodiversity into the public eye, allowing audiences to follow the falcons’ progress online via YouTube livecams, etc.

Biodiversity islands demonstrate that even in dense urban centers, museums can be catalysts of ecological restoration. By offering habitats for wildlife, they reconnect visitors with the natural world and embed conservation into cultural life. These green oases remind us that protecting biodiversity is not just about distant forests or oceans — it starts right outside the museum’s doors.