Donors and collectors
Adélie penguins photographed by Murray Levick in 1910. Taken during Robert Falcon Scott's British Antarctic Terra Nova expedition (1910-1913).
Meet some of the generous benefactors and dedicated collectors who built the Museum's vast collections.
The Museum Archives contains correspondence from donors and collectors, including tales of their daring exploits to obtain material from all over the world.
Evelyn Cheesman
Find out about the remarkable woman who supplied over 70,000 specimens to the collections of the Natural History Museum, after her expeditions to New Guinea.
Walter Rothschild
Born into an international financial dynasty, Walter was destined to be famed as a zoologist and collector rather than a banker.
Natural history pioneers
Learn about the life and work of revolutionary scientists, explorers and artists who have opened our eyes to the natural world.
Expeditions and collecting
Read about the early voyages of discovery and find out why the Museum's collections are so vital to our knowledge of the past, present and future.
