Research and curation
Our work
The Natural History Museum is an international leader in the scientific study of the natural world.
Our science mission is to:
- Explore the diversity of the natural world and the processes that generate this diversity.
- Use the knowledge gained to promote responsible interaction with the natural world.
Our mission is delivered in part by the collections of over 70 million specimens that we look after, and by the generation of new knowledge through research.
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Science departments
Science at the Museum is arranged across 7 departments. Find out more.
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Search the staff directory
Find details on all Science staff working at the Museum.
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Science enquiries
From specimen identification to how to become a palaeontologist.
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Science Directorate
Providing the focus for policy, planning and management for Museum science.
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NHM Consulting
We draw upon our expertise, facilities and collections to provide an international consultancy service.
Science at the Museum
Research
More than 300 scientists work at the Museum and tackle a diverse range of global problems. Our research is organised around 6 major challenges covering such topics as biodiversity, evolution and the ecosystem.
The Museum provides specialist information in many ways, one of which is though our online databases. Although this is not a full list of our research activities, we are continually adding research projects to our website.
Search online research projects
Collections
Our scientific activities revolve around the remarkable collections we look after. They are constantly being reorganised and developed to take into account the latest scientific thinking on the classification and relationships between organisms and minerals. Our collections are both a resource for investigation of the natural world and a point of reference and authority for wider investigations by scientists around the world.
Our online collections, which are continually growing, showcase some of the Museum's millions of specimens.