Founded in the 19th century as the focus for scientific activity at the University of Oxford, the Museum of Natural History now houses truly remarkable collections and is a vibrant and welcoming place to visit.
Please book in advance if you are visiting the Museum as a group
Using our collections
Find out more about making a research visit
The Museum has over seven million historical and modern specimens encompassing the entire natural world. There is also a library of around 20,000 books and an archive containing approximately half a million manuscripts.
Policy on photography and art materials
Non-commercial photography is welcome at the Museum. For any commercial photography or filming please make an enquiry in advance.
We encourage visitors to draw in the Museum, but only graphite pencils are permitted. Other art materials can cause a conservation risk to the building and specimens.
