Our visitors contribute greatly to the enhancement of the collections, both scientifically and educationally.
Scientists working with the collections enhance their value through contributing to their history and care so you will be asked to:
- provide us with a record of specimens you reidentify or reinterpret
- record what material you look at and let us know if anything is damaged or infested
- sign a photography agreement which requires you to provide copies of images that you take and make them available via the Creative Commons Attribution Licence CC-BY
- use a template to gather data that is compatible with our electronic collections management system if you prepare database of part of our collection, so that we can import it
- provide a copy of any future publications citing Museum specimens - failure to comply with this request may result in refusal of access to the collections in the future
- abide by the Museum's rules and regulations for accessing the collections DOC (33KB)
Intellectual property information
Visitors to the Museum's collections are subject to the terms of the Museum's intellectual property policy PDF (33KB) under which they are defined as formal visitors.
Visitors are permitted, at the discretion of the Museum, to photograph research collections, subject to certain terms which need to be agreed in writing at the time of visit. You will be required to provide copies of your photographs to the Museum and to make them available under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY) thereby allowing the Museum and third parties to reproduce the photographs subject to attribution to the photographer and/or copyright owner.
Visitors are permitted to make copies of items in the Library and Archives collections by using the photocopying / scanning facilities located in the reading room, or by use of their own photographic equipment, subject to
- the intellectual property terms and conditions for Library and Archives visitors
- the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, The Copyright and Rights in Performances (Research, Education, Libraries and Archives) Regulations 2014, the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997,
- The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 1996 and 2003, and any subsequent amendments, and other relevant legislation.
When using Library and Archives facilities to access websites and other online resources such as databases or e-journals to which the Library subscribes, visitors are obliged to abide by any relevant terms or conditions of use for such resources and ensure their use is, in all cases, lawful.
Library staff will be able to advise you on what copying can be done during your visit but please be aware this should not be construed as legal advice.
3D data are subject to separate agreements. Please contact your host in advance to discuss your requirements.
Rules and regulations for accessing the collections
The Museum's collections are of worldwide significance. To help us ensure we can preserve the them as a scientific resource for future generations we ask visitors to observe these rules when
- organising a visit to the collections
- visiting our collections and core research laboratories
- corresponding with staff after the visit
Download the Rules and regulations for accessing the collections DOC (33KB).