Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a public museum and scientific research institution in South Kensington, London. Although its collections originated within the British Museum, the institution became an independent museum in 1881 and has since developed into one of the world’s best-known centres for natural-history scholarship, public education and scientific communication. Its mission extends beyond displaying specimens: the museum uses its collections, laboratories, exhibitions and digital work to explain the history of life, the changing planet and the pressures facing biodiversity. The museum’s principal building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse in a Romanesque style and opened in 1881, is itself a major part of the visitor experience. Its terracotta exterior and richly decorated interior have made it an architectural landmark, while its galleries have established the organisation’s visual identity in popular culture. Public highlights include dinosaur fossils, the blue-whale model in Hintze Hall, minerals and gemstones, human-evolution material, volcano and earthquake displays, and collections illustrating the diversity of plants and animals. The institution holds roughly 80 million specimens and objects, spanning areas such as botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. These collections support research into taxonomy, evolution, ecology, climate, geological change and conservation. Museum scientists also contribute to the identification and description of species and to the development of data resources intended to improve understanding of biodiversity. The Natural History Museum operates as both a free-entry visitor attraction and a commercial and educational organisation. Its activities include permanent and temporary exhibitions, ticketed experiences, schools programmes, public events, publishing, retail, catering, venue hire, licensing, touring exhibitions, consultancy and digital content. The museum also runs or hosts internationally recognised programmes including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and works with external partners on science communication and nature-related initiatives. In recent years, the museum has placed greater emphasis on climate change, biodiversity loss and public advocacy. Its strategy seeks to reach audiences beyond the London building through online resources, partnerships, exhibitions and programmes such as the Urban Nature Project. The organisation’s stated long-term ambition is to help create a large global community of people who understand and advocate for the planet. This positioning gives the museum a dual role: a trusted keeper of scientific collections and an accessible cultural brand encouraging public engagement with environmental issues.

The Natural History Museum’s institutional history is rooted in the natural-history collections assembled by the British Museum. During the nineteenth century, the growth of those collections and of scientific study created pressure for a dedicated building. Parliament approved the separation of the natural-history collections, and a new museum was constructed in South Kensington to house them. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the building opened to the public in 1881 and became one of London’s major cultural landmarks. The museum initially operated as part of the British Museum, but the Natural History Museum became institutionally independent in 1963. Its remit subsequently expanded from the display of specimens to a broader combination of public interpretation, scientific research, collection management and education. The collections grew through fieldwork, donations, exchanges and expeditions, giving the museum a broad international scope across plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks and other geological material. The building and galleries have been repeatedly adapted. Modern scientific facilities were added alongside the historic public rooms, allowing the museum to support laboratory research, collections digitisation and specimen-based investigation. The Darwin Centre, developed in stages from the early twenty-first century, created additional collection stores, laboratories and public spaces. It also gave visitors a way to see aspects of scientific work that are normally hidden behind the galleries. Public programming has developed around both permanent displays and major temporary exhibitions. Dinosaur material, Earth sciences, human origins and biodiversity remain central subjects, while photography, immersive media and interactive interpretation have broadened the museum’s reach. Wildlife Photographer of the Year became a prominent international exhibition and competition, bringing wildlife imagery and conservation themes to audiences in Britain and abroad. The museum’s contemporary role increasingly includes environmental communication. Its scientists contribute research on biodiversity, taxonomy, ecosystems and planetary change, while its public programmes seek to connect scientific evidence with everyday decisions and civic action. The Urban Nature Project represents this direction by linking the museum’s London grounds, outdoor learning and urban biodiversity. Digital content and personalised online experiences further extend the institution beyond its physical site. Alongside grant-in-aid and philanthropic support, the museum generates income through trading activities including exhibitions, licensing, retail, events, catering, imaging and consultancy. This mixed model supports the museum’s public, educational and research work while allowing the brand to operate across cultural, educational and commercial contexts. Today, the Natural History Museum presents itself not simply as a repository of specimens but as a global science organisation seeking to help people understand the natural world and respond to climate and biodiversity challenges.

• 2023

  New identity and advocacy-led strategy

  [4]A new era for the Natural History Museumcreativereview.co.uk

  A refreshed identity and strategy emphasised the museum’s scientific work, public inspiration and environmental advocacy.

• 2022

  Urban Nature Project fundraising appeal

  [6]Urban Nature Project fundraising campaignnhm.ac.uk

  The museum began fundraising to create a free urban green space and expand nature-based learning for children.

• 2019

  Come to life brand campaign

  [5]Natural History Museum brand campaignsomeoneinlondon.com

  SomeOne developed an institution-wide campaign intended to promote the museum beyond individual exhibition launches; the agency reported record attendance and multiple creative awards.

• 2016

  Colour and Vision campaign

  [10]Colour and Vision campaigncampaignlive.co.uk

  Krow created a campaign supporting the museum’s Colour and Vision summer exhibition, with media handled by AKA.

• 2010

  Darwin Centre phase two opens

  [9]Darwin Centre phase two opensnhm.ac.uk

  The second phase of the Darwin Centre expanded collection storage, laboratories and public access to behind-the-scenes science.

• 1963

  Institution becomes independent

  [2]The Natural History Museumnhm.ac.uk

  The Natural History Museum became institutionally separate from the British Museum.

• 1881

  South Kensington museum opens

  [2]The Natural History Museumnhm.ac.uk

  The purpose-built natural-history museum designed by Alfred Waterhouse opened to the public in London.

A globally recognised, evidence-led natural-history institution combining free public galleries, scientific research, education and environmental advocacy.

• Museum exhibitions · 1881

  Permanent galleries

  Free public galleries interpret dinosaurs, fossils, minerals, volcanoes, earthquakes, human evolution, mammals, birds and other subjects through specimens, models and interactive displays. They form the core visitor experience and make the museum’s research collections accessible to broad audiences.

• Competition and touring exhibition · 1965

  Wildlife Photographer of the Year

  An international wildlife-photography competition and exhibition presented by the museum. It combines visual storytelling with public engagement around animals, habitats and conservation, and is distributed through touring and digital formats.

• Research and visitor facility · 2002

  Darwin Centre

  A modern facility housing scientific collections, laboratories and workspaces, with visitor experiences that reveal how specimens are preserved, studied and used in research. It connects the public museum with the institution’s working science centre.

• Education and biodiversity programme · 2022

  Urban Nature Project

  A programme focused on urban biodiversity, outdoor learning and reconnection with local nature. Its London site work aims to make the museum grounds a publicly accessible green learning environment while supporting wider educational activity.

• Digital education

  Digital science content

  Online articles, videos, images, collection resources and interactive experiences extend the museum’s educational and advocacy work to international audiences. Digital personalisation and audience data are used to make content and donation journeys more relevant.

• 2023New Natural History Museum brand campaign

  United Kingdom · International

  A new strategy and visual identity by Heavenly, Nomad and Pentagram broadened the museum’s voice from exhibition promotion to climate and biodiversity advocacy.

  Source
• 2022Urban Nature Project fundraising campaign

  United Kingdom

  The museum appealed for support to transform its grounds into a free green space and help children learn about biodiversity outside the classroom.

  Source
• 2019Come to life

  United Kingdom

  SomeOne created a year-long master brand campaign that gave specimens an expressive voice and invited audiences to encounter the museum as a living, contemporary institution rather than only a series of exhibitions.

  Outcome. The agency reported the highest visitor numbers in the museum’s 145-year history at the time and described the work as award-winning.

  Source
• 2016Colour and Vision

  United Kingdom

  Krow developed a visual advertising campaign for the museum’s Colour and Vision exhibition, exploring how animals perceive and use colour.

  Source
• Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre outdoor activation

  United Kingdom

  Anything is Possible created a Shoreditch special build using the chicken-and-egg question to advertise the Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre exhibition and its sensory visitor experience.

  Source

• 2023

  Reframe the museum as a planet advocacy organisationStrategy

  Background

  The museum needed an identity that could represent its research, collections, exhibitions and growing focus on climate and biodiversity issues.

  Action taken

  It adopted a refreshed strategy and visual identity designed to engage wider audiences and empower environmental action.

  Aftermath

  The organisation’s public-facing communications increasingly connect natural-history education with planetary stewardship.

  Source

• Expand digital engagement and personalisationStrategy

  Background

  The museum sought to reach global audiences and reduce dependence on physical footfall alone.

  Action taken

  It worked with Adobe on personalised digital experiences across content, commerce and donation journeys.

  Aftermath

  Adobe reported stronger campaign revenue and increased donations in selected tests, although the museum has not published a complete financial performance breakdown in the supplied sources.

  Reported increase in revenue from personalised campaigns. 2x

  Source

• 2025

  Natural History Museum and Katapult announce immersive-experience collaboration[11]Natural History Museum and Katapult announce immersive-experience collaborationlicenseglobal.com

  M&A · Other

  The museum and attraction designer Katapult began developing licensable immersive concepts for visitor-attraction operators and other partners.

• 2023

  Natural History Museum introduces a new brand identity[4]A new era for the Natural History Museumcreativereview.co.uk

  Campaign · Other

  A strategy and identity developed with external creative partners presented the museum as both a scientific institution and a public organisation advocating for climate and biodiversity action.

• 2022

  Natural History Museum launches fundraising campaign for the Urban Nature Project[6]Urban Nature Project fundraising campaignnhm.ac.uk

  Campaign

  The museum launched an appeal supporting the transformation of its grounds into a free-to-visit urban nature space and the expansion of outdoor learning for children.

• 2016

  Natural History Museum appoints a new advertising partner search[12]Natural History Museum appoints a new advertising partner searchcampaignlive.co.uk

  Campaign · Other

  The museum invited agencies to respond to a brief for an upcoming project after incumbent agency Krow decided not to repitch.

• Natural History Museum promotes Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre with Shoreditch outdoor advertising[7]Natural History Museum and aip go outdoorsaip.media

  Campaign · Other

  A special-build out-of-home activation used the chicken-and-egg question to promote the museum’s immersive bird exhibition.

1. 1Home | Natural History Museumnhm.ac.uk
2. 2The Natural History Museumnhm.ac.uk
3. 3Accounts and fundingnhm.ac.uk
4. 4A new era for the Natural History Museumcreativereview.co.uk
5. 5Natural History Museum brand campaignsomeoneinlondon.com
6. 6Urban Nature Project fundraising campaignnhm.ac.uk
7. 7Natural History Museum and aip go outdoorsaip.media
8. 8Adobe customer story: Natural History Museumbusiness.adobe.com
9. 9Darwin Centre phase two opensnhm.ac.uk
10. 10Colour and Vision campaigncampaignlive.co.uk
11. 11Natural History Museum and Katapult announce immersive-experience collaborationlicenseglobal.com
12. 12Natural History Museum appoints a new advertising partner searchcampaignlive.co.uk