Opening Friday: Join the search for life in space at the Natural History Museum’s new exhibition Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?

• Touch a piece of the Moon, snap a selfie holding a piece of Mars and enjoy a day out-of-this-world at the Natural History Museum’s new family exhibition all about the search for life in space.

• Museum scientists work on international space missions searching for life beyond Earth, and earlier this year made headlines with their findings on asteroid Bennu. Join us on the cusp of discovery as we explore one of the biggest questions asked by humanity, are we alone in the universe?

• Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? is a new blockbuster exhibition opening at the Natural History Museum on Friday 16 May. Book your tickets here.

Prepare for lift off! 4.56 billion years in the making, the Natural History Museum’s first ever exhibition dedicated to space exploration opens this Friday.

Rooted in the latest scientific research, direct from international space missions, Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? is a fun-filled, immersive exhibition. Get up close to over 60 objects on display, from never-before-seen space rocks to the parachute NASA practiced asteroid Bennu’s return to Earth on, smell pods that recreate the scents of space and games and interactives that tell the story of the all-important ingredients for life.

Our team of scientists work with international space agencies guiding them to make sense of the solar system. Research carried out on asteroids and meteorites in labs here at the Museum recently found that asteroids like Bennu and Ryugu were likely the first deliverers of water to Earth!

See fragments of asteroid Ryugu which were brought back from space, then journey into Mars to find the model ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover – our scientists have helped build scientific instruments on the rover which will travel to space in 2027 to drill down deeper into the surface of Mars than ever before.

Lead scientist on the exhibition, Prof Caroline Smith, says, “Space exploration has captured our imagination since humans walked the Earth. From cave art to Buzz Lightyear, the mystery of what lies beyond Earth is too tantalising to ignore - and today there is more evidence than ever before that life could exist beyond Earth. Informed by the latest findings from space missions and using the data held in our world-leading meteorite collection, we are simply over the moon to share with you what we know so far about the search for life in space.”

Get up close to the SETI device, part of a network which scours ‘all the sky, all the time’ looking for signals produced by technologically advanced civilisations, see real footage of NASA’s Perseverance rover landing on Mars, learn about ESA’s Juice spacecraft currently on its way to Jupiter’s moons to investigate habitability, witness a day in the life of Mars and wrap your hands around real meteorites, billions of years old, that have fallen to Earth from space, including a real piece of Mars and the Moon!

Museum Director, Dr Doug Gurr says, “With every mission sent into space we are reminded that here on Earth we have a very precise and complex set of conditions that has led to biodiversity so abundant it’s estimated that we know of less than one quarter of species in the natural world. We must act now to protect and celebrate life on Earth for a future where people and planet thrive."

Tickets are available to book now as well as an accompanying programme of events and activities for all ages. More information can be found here. 

Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? is supported by Lead Funder the Huo Family Foundation and Lead Corporate Sponsor Jupiter Asset Management. 

Notes to editors 

Assets 

Images and video are available here. 

The press preview will take place on Wednesday 14 May from 0830-1730. RSVP to aisling.lewis@nhm.ac.uk. 

Dates: Friday 16 May 2025 – Sunday 22 February 2026 
Times: Monday – Sunday 10.00-17.50 (last entry 16.30)  
Price: Peak: Adult £16.50, child £8.25  
              Off-peak: Adult £14.00, child £7.00                 
               Members, patrons and children under 4 go free 
Tickets: Tickets available to pre-book now at www.nhm.ac.uk/could-life-exist-beyond-earth  

Press Contact 

Natural History Museum Press Office 

Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5654 / 07799690151 

Email: press@nhm.ac.uk 

The Natural History Museum is a world-leading scientific research centre and one of the world’s most visited museums. Our mission is to create advocates for the planet – people who act for nature.  
 
Our 400 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency - from reversing biodiversity loss to resourcing the green economy.  

We are seeking an additional £150 million to transform our South Kensington building: placing our groundbreaking research at its heart, revitalising four existing galleries, opening two new magnificent galleries and delighting 1 million more visitors a year with the wonders of the natural world.    

The Huo Family Foundation  
Since its inception in 2009, the Huo Family Foundation has given over $75 million to support projects in the UK, US and China. The Foundation's mission is to support education, communities, and the pursuit of knowledge. Its current areas of focus are education; the arts; and science. Through its grants, the Foundation hopes to improve the prospects of individuals, and to support the work of organisations seeking to build a safe and successful future for all society. The Foundation previously supported the Natural History Museum’s Science Training Programme and Open Citizen Science Project within the Urban Nature Project. It has also supported the museum’s exhibition Birds: Brilliant & Bizarre (May 2024 to January 2025).

Jupiter Asset Management  
Curiosity and adaptability are human qualities vital to navigating a world where change is the only constant. At Jupiter, we believe that delivering investment excellence requires a balance of diverse thinking, creativity, and a relentless drive to seek enduring investment opportunities. 

Being exclusively asset-management driven, Jupiter focus entirely on delivering for their clients. They make an active difference by looking for opportunities that will be relevant and valued not just today, but in the future. 

 Jupiter values independence, individuality and diverse thinking, with a culture that puts collaboration and a spirit of challenge at its heart. 

 Every day, their people direct their efforts towards creating a better future for clients, combining human ingenuity with the right technology to provide a high-quality client experience. This is their enduring edge in a world of constant change. This is the value of active minds. 

 Jupiter is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

Marina Barcenilla  The exhibition’s space smells have been designed by fragrance designer and space scientist Marina Barcenilla.