Originally founded in 1857 as the South Kensington Museum, together with what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum now holds a collection of over 300,000 items, including such famous items as Stephenson's Rocket, the first jet engine, Francis Crick's model of DNA, some of the earliest remaining steam engines, a working example of Charles Babbage's Difference engine, and the first prototype of the 10,000-year Clock of the Long Now. It also contains hundreds of interactive exhibits. A recent addition is the IMAX Theatre showing science and nature documentaries, some of them in 3-D. Entrance has been free since December 1, 2001.
The museum is adjacent to the Natural History Museum and connected to it by a public corridor. The closest London Underground station is South Kensington.