How to find us
The collections are spread across three sites.
- South Kensington in London, which houses most staff and collections.
- Tring in Hertfordshire, which houses the Bird Group and collections.
- Off-site store in South London. Access to this site limited and must be discussed with your host.
Opening hours
The collections are open by prior appointment only, between the core hours of 10:00 and 16:00, Monday to Friday, except public holidays, with local arrangements for closure over lunchtime.
Please see the Library and Archives page for details on their opening hours.
Entrance and meeting points
Entrance to the Natural History Museum and meeting points are as follows:
South Kensington, London
Collections visitors should follow the signs for the Staff and Departmental Visitors entrance on Exhibition Road and report to the visitor reception desk.
A member of staff will issue you a visitor pass and contact your host to come to meet you, or you may be directed to an appropriate meeting point:
- The giant sloth (beside the main door to the Palaeontology building)
- The General Library door (with visitor doorbell)
- The Darwin Centre (outside the Attenborough Studio)
Visitors unfamiliar with the route will be issued a map guiding them to one of these meeting points.
Tring in Hertfordshire
Collections visitors should enter the Museum through the glass doors at the back of the car park and make themselves known at the Control Room hatch. Your host will then come to meet you, or you may be directed to an appropriate meeting point.
Off-site store in South London
Collections visitors will be advised by their host as to where they should meet.