Our vision and strategy

Archaeopteryx, the Museum's most important fossil

We are creating advocates for the planet.

We face a planetary emergency. Our future depends on the natural world, but we are not combating our own destructive impact on the planet.

Earth is now changing fast under the influence of human behaviour. Climate change and biodiversity loss are just some of the manifestations.

By threatening natural systems, we threaten our own future. We must act now, we must act on scientific evidence and we must act together.

Our vision is of a future where both people and planet thrive.
Our mission is to create advocates for the planet.
Our strategy to 2031 sets out the part the Natural History Museum will play as a global, scientific and cultural leader.

Our hope

Understanding life on Earth is the greatest scientific challenge of our age. We cannot hope to develop solutions without research that unlocks the underlying biology and applied science.

Alongside the science, all of us need hope: hope that there is a future where both people and the planet thrive. Building and spreading this hope through evidence and action will be the foundation of our strategy in the coming decade.

In today's challenging times, we will create advocates for the planet: individuals who feel sufficiently informed, confident and motivated to make wise decisions, to get involved, and to use their influence and actions to make a positive difference to the global future.

To achieve this, we will harness our collection, our research and our reach.

Our priorities

Five strategic priorities will be at the core of our activities until 2031:

securing the future of the collection
transforming the study of natural history
developing the gardens and galleries
creating a resilient and sustainable organisation
engaging and involving the widest possible audience

We've already made a start. The future of the natural world is in our hands, so we're championing the UK's urban nature.

We’ve transformed our five-acre site into a biologically diverse, accessible and welcoming green space in the heart of London. An outdoor learning and activity space will inspire the next generation.

Nature Overheard, our community science programme on urban biodiversity, allowed anyone to become a champion for wildlife. Alongside this, we developed an urban wildlife monitoring and management toolkit for amateur naturalists, volunteers and habitat management professionals. We're also creating new outdoor volunteering opportunities, a traineeship and apprenticeships.

Our success

Given the urgency of the issues facing the planet, we are aware that we have a global responsibility. We need to shape the future by learning from the past and seeking solutions which will bring a prosperous future.

Success lies in solutions and action. Once people can begin to feel optimistic about the opportunities to create a sustainable future, we will have achieved success. We can't change the world alone, so we will work in partnership with others towards a common goal.