Museum stories

Explore the biggest challenges facing our planet and the nature-based solutions that can help us to create a more sustainable world.

From hidden highlights to star sights and surprising sounds, explore 12 treasures in our new gardens.

Our latest attraction stands tall over the new gardens.

Experience the connection between rocks and life in our new Evolution Garden where rocks, fossils, plants and sculpture tell a story of evolution and geological change.

Take a closer look at nine highlights, including Darwin’s favourite octopus and a rare first edition of his book, On the Origin of Species. 

A royal lion skull, a Moon rock, a famous gorilla, even Darwin’s pigeons: uncover some of the most extraordinary specimens we care for.

Why do some animals grow so big? Follow this trail around the Museum to discover some of today's giants and explore the highs and lows that come with being big.

The Museum has over 23 million specimens stored in alcohol in the spirit collection. Explore some of the must-see specimens.

Discovering the largest Winchcombe meteorite in a field of sheep poo.

Curator Jon Ablett tells the tale of how an elusive monster from the deep came to be one of our popular attractions.

Blast off on an adventure around the galleries that are out of this world.  

This long-necked skeleton is Attenborosaurus, an extinct marine reptile named after legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

Discover John James Audubon's iconic and valuable book The Birds of America.

When an unusual rock fell to Earth in 1795, it prompted the first large-scale investigation into the origin of meteorites.

Marine mammal expert Richard Sabin takes us through what scientists know – and don’t know – about narwhals, also known as unicorns of the sea.

The touchable, wavy folds of this rock tell a story as old as life on Earth.

From touring spectacle to museum star – discover the hidden history behind this ancient mammal skeleton.

Professor Caroline Smith sheds light on the secrets this rock holds about the formation of our own planet.

This skull was dug up from the Tower of London moat. The lion guarded the entrance 700 years ago as a symbol of strength.

How do you conserve an ancient wedge of giant tree? With solvent, buckets of resin and a lot of patience.

No bigger than a smartphone, this remarkable rock has layers that tell the story of the working lives and hardships of miners in the 1800s.

Discover how Iguanodon’s true identity was finally revealed.

These exhibits all have a story rooted in London, from the banks of the River Thames to Trafalgar Square and all the way to the Tower of London. 

Discover the story of the 11-tonne fossil that’s been welcoming our visitors since 1887.

Curator Dr Marc Jones opens up the fossil marine reptile and amphibian collection we care for.

Curator Dr Diego Vaz dives into the fish collection we care for.

Find out how scientists come up with a species name and what a type specimen is used for.

In the first of a new series, curator Dr Neil Adams shares the stories and science of the fossil mammal collection.

Almost two centuries after Charles Darwin’s pioneering voyage, his specimens are still inspiring groundbreaking new science.

One of the more unusual jobs of our scientists is to verify record-breaking catches of everything from titanic tuna to colossal cod.

Our butterfly expert talks about her life, passions and the power of perspectives.

It takes time, endless patience and skill to transform a fossil into a museum-worthy exhibit. 

Gilbert White's talent and passion for observing and recording nature inspired many future naturalists, including Charles Darwin.

Adventuring unchaperoned in seventeenth century Suriname, Maria Sibylla Merian blazed a trail for women and science.

Mary was a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector. Her lifetime was a constellation of firsts.

Charles Robert Darwin transformed the way we understand the natural world with ideas that, in his day, were nothing short of revolutionary.

Meet the first person to illustrate a book with photographic images.

An intrepid explorer and brilliant naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace co-published the theory of evolution by natural selection with Charles Darwin.

Hans Sloane’s collection formed the basis of the Natural History Museum.

Whether liaising with cannibals or escaping giant spider webs, Evelyn Cheesman took the challenges of perilous fieldwork in her stride.

Meet the Swedish botanist who ventured around the world on Captain Cook's pivotal first voyage.

Meet the trailblazer who was one of the first women employed as a scientist by the Natural History Museum.

Meet eighteenth-century naturalist and collector Sir Joseph Banks.

Explore a menagerie of designs fit for a ‘cathedral to nature’.

Discover the contribution of Black people to the field of natural history.

During the Second World War a number of galleries were commandeered by British spy networks. Explore the secret wartime history of the Museum, in photographs.

This charismatic Polynesian turned Cook's first voyage into his own ceremonial tour.

Discover the important contributions made by one of London’s first woman geologists.

Explore research into how our history and collections are connected to the transatlantic trade of enslaved people.

Archivist Laura Brown offers a peek behind-the-scenes at the Museum from 1912 to 1914, when suffragists were fighting for the vote.

The adventures of a tenacious female explorer brought to life by comic artist Sammy Borras.

Brachiopod curator Zoë Hughes celebrates the life and work of one of the Museum's great pioneering geologists.

Explore the story of how our biggest specimen was moved to its current home. 

Discover the journey of our largest specimen and what science and storytelling have revealed about Hope’s life.

Discover some of the sensational specimens Mary Anning discovered that are now part of the collections we look after.

Dive into half a billion years of oceanic evolution, from the first vertebrates to the largest sharks.

Praearcturus gigas was among the first large predators to ever stalk the land, measuring over a metre in length.

By speeding up the process of describing new species, scientists can help to protect the precious places they live.

Say hello to Attenboroughnculus tau!

Find out what fossils have revealed about ichthyosaurs, which included the biggest marine reptile that ever lived.

Journey beneath the waves and meet some of the fiercest marine reptiles that have ever lived.

Natural history museums contain an astonishing snapshot of the planet’s biodiversity.

Find out what plesiosaur fossils have revealed about these animals and how big they could grow.

It has been called Galahadosuchus jonesi in recognition of David Rhys Jones.

Almost two centuries after Charles Darwin’s pioneering voyage, his specimens are still inspiring groundbreaking new science.

A prehistoric tool is reshaping our understanding of Europe’s early inhabitants.

A dinosaur named Ajkaceratops has revealed that relatives of Triceratops lived in Europe after all.

The new species is found in Madagascar, a country closely linked to Gerald’s conservation work.

Horneophyton lignieri is changing what we know about plant evolution.

Five former Thereus butterflies from South America have been revealed as 16 different species.

Meteorites are like a time machine and a spacecraft all in one.

In the last 12 months, we celebrated the start of our new science centre and appointed our first Director of Collections.

Find out how scientists come up with a species name and what a type specimen is used for.

One of the more unusual jobs of our scientists is to verify record-breaking catches of everything from titanic tuna to colossal cod.

The biggest study of starfish is challenging some long-held assumptions. 

Discover why Morocco is so important for studying dinosaurs.

Dragonflies are an airborne terror for other winged insects.

Sphenodraco scandentis would have climbed among the trees of ancient Jurassic forests.

Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae is going on display in our Earth Hall.

Dive into the modern megalodon myth and weigh up the evidence.

Koala numbers have fallen drastically over the last 100 years due to hunting and habitat loss.

The new species, named Pararhincodon torquis, is a distant relative of the collared carpet sharks.

The insect not only marks a major milestone, but also highlights the power of digitising our collection.

The documents will join other important archives such as the illuminated manuscripts of Charlemagne’s court.

Explore the biggest challenges facing our planet and the nature-based solutions that can help us to create a more sustainable world.

Find out what taxonomy means and why it’s important to classify life on Earth.

A rather uninspiring specimen in the Natural History Museum’s collection has an extraordinary tale to tell.

Samples from the asteroid Bennu contain some of the ingredients needed for life to develop.

Our butterfly expert talks about her life, passions and the power of perspectives.

A molar found in sand from south London could shed light on the last days of an ancient mammal.

From hidden highlights to star sights and surprising sounds, explore 12 treasures in our new gardens.

Our latest attraction stands tall over the new gardens.

Experience the connection between rocks and life in our new Evolution Garden where rocks, fossils, plants and sculpture tell a story of evolution and geological change.

By the end of the Jurassic Period, dinosaurs ruled our planet. But how they became such a diverse group remains a mystery.

The spectacled cormorant went extinct almost 200 years ago – but almost nothing is known about its life.

Royal Mail is releasing a trove of new palaeontological-themed stamps.

Take a virtual tour of the Natural History Museum and explore the astonishing diversity of the natural world.

The private collections of Sir Hans Sloane formed the basis of the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the British Library.

Our scientists have contributed papers on everything from deep sea diversity to marsupial evolution. 

Fossils are physical evidence of prehistoric animals and plants, but there may be more to them than you ever realised. 

Welcome to the next era of natural history collections. 

Discover the contribution of Black people to the field of natural history.

It takes time, endless patience and skill to transform a fossil into a museum-worthy exhibit. 

More surprising is that the vast majority of herpetology records are unsexed.

Trilobites survived for more than 250 million years. But what made them some of the most successful early animals?

Sharks have been around for millions of years. Their teeth are some of the most common fossils you can find.

If you know what you’re looking at, little bits of bone can add up to something big. 

Only four confirmed specimens are known to science.

Our scientists have been looking for a rock that formed so long ago it was on Earth before complex life lived on land. 

An array of charming specimens collected from South Asia.

Our South Asian scientists share their research and their favourite specimen.

Explore our collections and discover some of the many specimens you won't see on a regular visit to the Museum. 

The Cretaceous Period is famous for ending with a massive asteroid impact, but what was our planet like in the millions of years before that?

A serendipitous discovery revealed that a beautiful mineral has been hiding a secret for over 170 years.

The specimens and objects held in museums around the world represent an astonishing resource. 

Find out why dung beetles eat poo and how some use the Sun and stars when they travel. 

A new study reveals that there are many ways these animals bore through solid rock, but a lack of habitat may lock them into an evolutionary dead end.

Did you know that flies have been helping us solve crimes for hundreds of years?

Two Museum experts highlight the stories and science behind some of our most festive flora.  

Catch up on season one of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.

A new species of extinct lizard has been described from the Museum's collections. 

Frog lenses develop differently depending on what environment they will live in as adults.

The study could help in predicting how species will respond to the rapidly changing environment.

A large part of the asteroid belt may have been formed out on the fringes of the Solar System.

A new project aims to use the Museum's historic collections to investigate how the genome of wheat has changed.

Researchers have caught a glimpse of the cosmos just two million years after the formation of the solar system.

Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.

Female wildebeest are engaged in an evolutionary arms race - but scientists aren't sure why.

Over a century ago, one of the most important scientific expeditions in history departed from the UK to explore the oceans of the world. 

An insect last seen in 1869 has sung again, which could help give researchers clues about where the insect might still be living.

The days of the most distinctive bird species could be numbered as the most unusual forms bear the brunt of global extinctions.  

Digitising Museum collection leads to rediscovering a moth collected by Richard Owen

Fossil bones and antlers in the collection hold clues about the life and disappearance of Europe's biggest ever deer.

The specimen is currently on display at the Museum in the Minerals gallery.

Plankton which help feed the ocean, lock away carbon dioxide and even influence the weather may not be as vulnerable to climate change as feared.

Understanding how bats, which are one of nature's largest disease reservoirs, have changed over time can help scientists to identify new disease hotspots.

The tropics have long been perceived as being a riot of colour.

The Museum's new, free Women in Science tour tell some inspiring stories of women in science.

Walter Rothschild acquired animals from all over the world to study and display at his museum.

The digitisation of these collections could be worth two billion pounds to the global economy.

A century ago, the era of 'heroic' Antarctic endeavours came to an end as the Quest expedition made its way home.

The economic benefit of digitising an entire museum collection has been quantified for the first time.

Climate change could leave birds and their eggs unprepared for the extreme weather being thrown at them. 

As you're taxiing to the runway, spare a thought for what the impact of your flight might be.

Find out what eDNA is and how it can be used for conservation. 

Data on three bat families will be released on an open platform and made available to researchers all over the world.

The often tightly wound shells of ammonites may be a familiar sight, but how much do you know about the animals that once lived inside?

New minerals from the UK are very rare. 

The most remote inhabited island in the world has become one of the biggest wildlife sanctuaries on the planet.

The Popa langur lives on an extinct volcano in Myanmar.

If you can't get out to the beach to find fossils, why not make your own ammonites instead?

Discover more about the people behind the headlines and how they have been overlooked by the history books. 

John Edmonstone was a former enslaved man who taught the young Charles Darwin the skill of taxidermy.

Canisius Kayombo is a remarkable researcher who is enriching our understanding of plants and science.  

The first taxonomically verified checklist of the plants of New Guinea is complete.

Gilbert White's talent and passion for observing and recording nature inspired many future naturalists, including Charles Darwin.