Documents required

You will be required to provide personal identification to access certain collections.

Identification

You must bring two forms of identity with you:

1. photographic identification

2. proof of your address or a reference letter (students will need to provide a reference letter)

If any of these documents are in a language other than English, you must bring an official translation.

Acceptable forms of identity

Photographic identification

• passport

If you do not process a passport, the following are also acceptable:

• Natural History Museum pass
• driving licence
• national ID card
• forces ID card

Proof of your address

• utility bill bank
• building society statement
• credit card statement
• council tax bill
• HM Revenue and Customs statement
• passports with address (where the address has been officially entered by the issuing authority)
• national ID card with address
• driving licence with address
• Home Office permit to stay
• home insurance policy
• pension
• benefit agency
• family credit letter statement

All bills and statements must have been issued within the last six months.

Internet printouts and online statements are not acceptable.

If you bank online most banks will provide a printed statement on request for free or at a small charge, but please be aware that they might take several days to send a statement to you.

If you are usually resident overseas your identification should show your permanent home address.

We will accept a bill or statement addressed to your spouse if your surname matches.

Reference letter

You may be asked to provide a reference letter before you visit for the first time.

PhD students, post docs etc. - the reference letter should be from a relevant supervisor.

Academic visitors - the reference letter should be from your head of department or head of institution. Letters must be printed on headed paper from your institution and signed.

Data Protection

The Natural History Museum will use your personal data in accordance with data protection legislation. We will use it if we need to contact you about your visit, to manage access to Museum collections, and for reference purposes in order to help maintain the security of the collections. It may be shared with law enforcement agencies. Copies of proof of address and identity will be retained for five years, at which point they will be securely destroyed. For more information, view the privacy notice.