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Science directorate

Digital georeferenced specimens data

Visualisation of the 400,000 georeferenced specimens  in the Museum's collections database, April 2013. The length of the line is proportional to a log of the number of specimens sampled in each locality.

The Science Directorate provides the focus for policy, planning and management for the Museum's science.

The Science Directorate:

  • leads strategic development of Museum science through initiatives such as the science strategy
  • acts as a focus for development of Museum policies on research and collections management
  • co-ordinates Museum responses to UK and international science policy initiatives
  • provides, through the Research and Consulting Office, a communications, marketing and support focus for Museum science in securing grant funding and consulting contracts
  • acts as a focus for collaboration

Science strategy

Download our five-year science strategy, a new age of discovery, designed to employ our unique expertise and collections.

Director of Science

The Director of Science's primary role is charting the course of the Museum’s scientific activities and overseeing the 500 scientists and students working at the Museum. Find out more about the role of Director of Science at the Museum.

Publications

The Natural History Museum is a highly productive scientific research institution and publishing performs a key role in passing on the work that is undertaken.

Work is published in a wide range of media:

  • scientific research in peer-reviewed scholarly journals
  • academic books
  • popular books
  • articles for the media
  • consultation documents
  • electronic publications

Approximately 1,000 publications are produced annually, of which about half are peer-reviewed. Peer-reviewed articles are examined by other scientists and researchers in relevant specialities before publication.

Publication data gives author details, with Museum scientists in capitals, as well as the date of publication, title, journal (in italics) or publisher, volume and pagination.

Museum staff publications

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