Exhibitions

Meat the Future

Special exhibition

28 May 2021 – 16 January 2022

Across the world, 90 percent of people are meat-eaters – and global consumption is rising. New research has revealed the cost to us and the planet of keeping so much meat on the menu. Meat The Future presents cutting edge research on the environmental and health impacts of eating meat, and offers visitors a variety of compelling future scenarios.

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A glowing particle sphere etched in glass against a dark background

Angela Palmer - '2020: The Sphere that Changed the World'

18 May – 17 September 2021

Powerful and beautiful artwork created as the coronavirus pandemic began to grip the world. Angela Palmer's two ethereal sculptures are three-dimensional ‘drawings’ of the virus that causes COVID-19, etched into sheets of illuminated glass.

A print of a black and white engraving showing the central court of Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the 19th century

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Truth to Nature

Until October 2021

A temporary exhibition in the main court celebrating 160 years of the Museum in 2020, and reflecting on our past and future.

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11 May

Saving our Insects

Join Dave Goulson to learn what we should do, and those things we should not do, to welcome bumblebees, butterflies,...

Join Dave Goulson to learn what we should do, and those things we should not do, to welcome bumblebees, butterflies, and a plethora of other wildlife into our gardens and into our ...

Join Dave Goulson to learn what we should do, and those things we should not do, to welcome bumblebees, butterflies, and a plethora of other wildlife into our gardens and into our lives.

Online

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5 May

Drawn to Nature: Birds

Join Museum Education Officer, Chris Jarvis, to hear about the natural history of some of the planet’s most stunningly...

Join Museum Education Officer, Chris Jarvis, to hear about the natural history of some of the planet’s most stunningly beautiful and fascinating creatures , the birds, before taking...

Join Museum Education Officer, Chris Jarvis, to hear about the natural history of some of the planet’s most stunningly beautiful and fascinating creatures , the birds, before taking a chance to draw...

Online

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21 Apr

Drawn to Nature: Rock Pools

Escape to the beach as we take a dive into the life of rock pools. Join Research Fellow Lauren Sumner-Rooney to...

Escape to the beach as we take a dive into the life of rock pools. Join Research Fellow Lauren Sumner-Rooney to meet some familiar – and not so familiar – faces from beneath the...

Escape to the beach as we take a dive into the life of rock pools. Join Research Fellow Lauren Sumner-Rooney to meet some familiar – and not so familiar – faces from beneath the waves.

Online

path leading to a green natural landscape

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15 Apr

How to Save the Earth in Four Steps

What do the triple challenges of climate, biodiversity and social crises mean for society? How might we go about...

What do the triple challenges of climate, biodiversity and social crises mean for society? How might we go about addressing these challenges?

Online

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7 Apr

Drawn to Nature: Decorating a Museum

Join Librarian and Archivist, Danielle Czerkaszyn, to hear about how scientists, architects and Pre-Raphaelite...

Join Librarian and Archivist, Danielle Czerkaszyn, to hear about how scientists, architects and Pre-Raphaelite artists came together to decorate the Museum, before taking a chance to...

Join Librarian and Archivist, Danielle Czerkaszyn, to hear about how scientists, architects and Pre-Raphaelite artists came together to decorate the Museum, before taking a chance to draw...

Online

Oxford University Museum of Natural History exterior

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26 Mar

Science Short: Food and Social Networks

Join us online for a digital Science Short – a series of lunchtime interactive talks from early career researchers....

Join us online for a digital Science Short – a series of lunchtime interactive talks from early career researchers. This talk will give you a taster of our upcoming exhibition......

Join us online for a digital Science Short – a series of lunchtime interactive talks from early career researchers. This talk will give you a taster of our upcoming exhibition...

Online

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24 Mar

Drawn to Nature: Amber

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world,...

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world, we invite you to participate in and enjoy ‘Drawn to Nature: Amber&#...

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world, we invite you to participate in and enjoy ‘Drawn to Nature: Amber'.

Online

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10 Mar

Drawn to Nature: Plesiosaurs

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world,...

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world, we invite you to participate in and enjoy ‘Drawn to Nature: Plesios...

In a year where people have found increasing solace in, and drawn creative inspiration from the natural world, we invite you to participate in and enjoy ‘Drawn to Nature: Plesiosaurs'.

Online

Amy Dickman tracking, image credit Johann Vorster

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8 Mar

Wildlife, Warriors & Women

Join us in celebration of International Women’s Day for this interactive talk and Q+A event to hear Dr. Amy Dickman...

Join us in celebration of International Women’s Day for this interactive talk and Q+A event to hear Dr. Amy Dickman reflect on the essential, driving role that women have played in...

Join us in celebration of International Women’s Day for this interactive talk and Q+A event to hear Dr. Amy Dickman reflect on the essential, driving role that women have played in the conservation of lions and...

Join us in celebration of International Women’s Day for this interactive talk and Q+A event to hear Dr. Amy Dickman reflect on the essential, driving role that women have played in the conservation of lions and other large carnivores.

Online

Front-facing view of robber fly pinned specimen

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24 Feb

Drawn to Nature: Flies

Join Museum Collection Manager, Zoe Simmons, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Zoe Simmons, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the planet’s most varied and important creatures , the insects, before...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Zoe Simmons, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the planet’s most varied and important creatures , the insects, before taking a chance to draw...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Zoe Simmons, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the planet’s most varied and important creatures , the insects, before taking a chance to draw your own using the Museum’s specimens.

Online

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17 Feb

The Metabolism of Planet Earth

Explore the biological metabolism of the planet, how energy flows have changed through human history and prehistory,...

Explore the biological metabolism of the planet, how energy flows have changed through human history and prehistory, and how human-appropriated energy flows threaten to overwhelm the...

Explore the biological metabolism of the planet, how energy flows have changed through human history and prehistory, and how human-appropriated energy flows threaten to overwhelm the life-sustaining metabolism of...

Explore the biological metabolism of the planet, how energy flows have changed through human history and prehistory, and how human-appropriated energy flows threaten to overwhelm the life-sustaining metabolism of the planet.

Online

Image shows a large nautilus on a dark background

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3 Feb

Drawn to Nature; Nautilus

Join Museum Collection Manager, Mark Carnall, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Mark Carnall, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the world’s most enigmatic ocean dwellers, the nautiloids, before...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Mark Carnall, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the world’s most enigmatic ocean dwellers, the nautiloids, before taking a chance to draw your...

Join Museum Collection Manager, Mark Carnall, to hear about the natural history and conservation status of some of the world’s most enigmatic ocean dwellers, the nautiloids, before taking a chance to draw your own using the Museum’s specimens.

Online