Museum governance
The Natural History Museum is one of the world’s foremost resources for natural science, with magnificent collections and groundbreaking research expertise.
Continued funding is critical to our work and the Museum is therefore a recognised charity, exempt from registration under the Charities Act of 1993.
The Museum is also a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS). This allows us to operate with a reasonable degree of independence from the government, working on three-year Download the Natural History Museum funding agreement here. PDF (149.0 KB)
PDF (148.7 KB) with predetermined objectives and levels of grant-in-aid.
Management of the Museum is undertaken by our Museum Director and the Directors' Group. The Museum Director reports to the governing board of 12 Trustees, nine of whom are appointed by the Prime Minister and the DCMS.
Originally formed as the Natural History departments of the British Museum, the Museum became a separate entity through the British Museum Act 1963. Still known after that time as the British Museum (Natural History), we officially became the Natural History Museum through the Museums and Galleries Act 1992.
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The Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the management of the Museum and the appointment of the Museum Director.
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The Directors’ Group
The Directors’ Group is responsible for running the Museum under the leadership of the Director of the Museum, who is appointed by the Board of Trustees.
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Museum funding
Find out more about how the museum is funded.
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The Audit and Risk Committee
The Board has established an Audit Committee to support them in their responsibilities for issues of risk, control and governance, financial reporting and associated assurance.
Toolbox
In World War II the Museum was used as a secret base to develop new gadgets for allied spies, including an exploding rat!