Natural History Museum: Lichen Tower

Back blip.

I felt slightly naughty taking this: these are the stairs up to the Lichen Tower at the NHM. There is only one staircase up, so it has been deemed unsafe by Health & Safety and no-one is allowed up there... Off-limits.

I'm afraid I can't say that I've been up there.

I think it is OK to stand at the bottom of the stairs and look up; it actually seemed quite a dramatic staircase because it is dark and contrasty, bare, and the stairs climb up two floors in height. The bend in the stairs and light at the top are a tempting lure to explore the hidden world up there.

I find it strange that a tower in the NHM is simply unused because of a health and safety assessment; people have used it for many decades quite happily... Why don't they modify it to make it safe by their standards: install those fire ladders that roll down to provide an escape, or fireman's poles, or a slide...?!
Sigh