Photographs
Young visitor in the Museum, 1963.
Our extensive photograph collection traces the history and operation of the Museum since it opened in 1881.
Any person permitted to take photographs inside the Museum between 1890-1930 was required to send copies of their pictures to the Museum Archives.
A selection of photos have been brought together and published in Museum Through a Lens, a fascinating book available from the Natural History Museum Shop.
Find images online
A small percentage of photos have been scanned and are available from the Picture Library. Other images can be digitalised or copied on request.
All records with the reference 'PH' in our Museum Archive catalogue are photographs.You can search for photos by typing ph* into the FindingNo field.
Staff on the front steps of the Museum, 1884.
Museum Through a Lens
A collection of stunning black and white photographs from the Museum Archives.
