A £78 million building which will house state-of-the-art scientific research and storage facilities and is named after Shrewsbury’s most famous son Charles Darwin has been unveiled in London.

The new Darwin Centre was unveiled at the Natural History Museum yesterday as celebrations continue nationally to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the scientist and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work On The Origin of Species.

The centre, which will also provide the latest opportunities for the public to learn about science will open its doors to the public next Tuesday with a giant eight-storey-high “cocoon” housing 17 million insect specimens and three million plant specimens as its focal point.

The public will be able to take part in a “cocoon tour” where they will be able to see scientists at work in new laboratories as well as taking part in hands-on activities.

The new centre also houses the Attenborough Studio, named after the renowned TV naturalist Sir David and a 30 square metre collage of interactive screens called the Climate Change Wall, educating the public about global warming.

A new centre for “citizen scientists” will allow people with an interest in natural history to study and meet scientists as well as bring in their own finds.

The centre, the biggest development at the museum since it opened in 1881, will have the capacity to be used by more than 200 scientists at a time.

Sharon Ament, director of public engagement at the Natural History Museum, said: “The Darwin Centre will invite everyone to explore the natural world in an exciting and innovative way.

“It will really show our visitors why and how our scientists tackle some of the most pressing issues we face today – from the spread of disease to the impact of climate change on the planet’s wildlife.”

The new centre was unveiled to the media, with talks from scientists and a video featuring Sir David Attenborough, who said in the video: “It is my hope that by sharing our experience and understanding of the natural world that we can take a step towards securing our planet’s future.”