Hopefully by now, regular readers of my blog will know that I am a huge fan of the Natural History Museum in London. I had been doing some digging recently, trying to figure out how many of the temporary exhibitions the museum has hosted I have attended. I couldn’t find a comprehensive list of these, and so I have decided to make this resource myself, using the museum’s website and the internet archive as a starting point. I have also trawled through my library to try to find out more about some of the exhibitions I may have missed with these of other methods. The Natural History Museum hosts these temporary exhibitions to fulfil several important goals aligned with its mission to promote understanding of the natural world and inspire care for the planet.

The exhibitions are designed to attract broad and varied audiences, including those who might not visit the museum for its permanent collections alone. They present current scientific discoveries in an accessible way by showcasing specific themes (e.g. climate change, evolution, biodiversity) in more detail than permanent displays. In order to make the learning experiences more memorable, they often use immersive design, storytelling, and technology to put the visitor at the heart of the exhibition. Thereby, the exhibitions offer a platform for presenting cutting-edge research from scientists and global partners. These allow visitors to exploring topical or urgent issues, while reflecting new discoveries or scientific debates in a way that encourages public dialogue. If you’ve never visited one of the exhibitions listed below, maybe now is the time to start engaging with them. The museum also hosts a number of art exhibitions which link to current issues such as climate change, conservation or the changing understanding of our planet.

So, let me welcome you to this live page that I aim to update with all of the the Natural History Museum exhibitions I can, excluding the annual exhibitions/events such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Sensational Butterflies and the Ice Rink. This page will also be regularly updated with current and upcoming exhibitions, offering you a dynamic window into the exhibitions the museum has hosted. Below you’ll find each of the exhibitions in chronological order from their opening date.

Last updated on: 2nd June 2025

If I have missed anything, please do let me know and I shall update the list when I can. Thanks in advance and I hope this is helpful to someone!

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