Natural History Museum breaks ground on new research centre

A ground-breaking ceremony took place today [9 September] to celebrate construction commencing of the Natural History Museum’s new state-of-the-art collections, research and digitisation centre. The new facility will be based at the University of Reading-owned Thames Valley Science Park.

Located in Shinfield, this new centre will house purpose-built storage for 28 million specimens, around a third of the Museum’s vast collection. A major scientific research hub, it will provide innovative digital, analytical, and genomic technologies and facilities for the scientific community.

The museum’s collections of mammals, non-insect invertebrates (such as corals, crustaceans, molluscs, and worms), fossilised mammals and invertebrates, molecular collections, and micropalaeontology will be housed at the new centre in bespoke storage.

From microscopic water bears that can survive in outer space, to the fossil remains of majestic whales, these specimens span millions of years of Earth’s history and represent every continent, ocean, and ecosystem. Transporting these immense collections to Shinfield will be the largest move of natural history specimens globally.

Situated in the heart of the M4 corridor high-tech hub, the facility will be kitted out with cutting edge equipment and labs. It will feature an imaging and analysis centre, including digitisation suites; state-of-the-art molecular biology laboratories, including ancient DNA labs; cryo-facilities for tissue storage; conservation labs; and specimen preparation labs, including quarantine facilities. 

Dr Doug Gurr, Natural History Museum Director, said: “This ambitious project will transform the research capabilities of not only our 400-strong scientific team but also researchers around the world – accelerating solutions-led research into some of the greatest challenges facing the planet. The potential for this centre is boundless, from helping protect and restore critical habitats to finding the critical minerals to support the energy transition – it could even prove pivotal in preventing the next global pandemic.”

The centre has been developed alongside the University of Reading, renowned for its world-leading research in environmental science. Building on an existing foundation of collaborative projects, the Museum and the University are planning further partnerships to help find solutions to urgent global challenges.

Professor Robert van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "This collaboration with the Natural History Museum perfectly aligns with our commitment to world-leading environmental research and innovation. By developing this state-of-the-art facility at Thames Valley Science Park, we're creating unprecedented opportunities for collaborative research that will help address the planet's most pressing challenges. We're excited to see this transformative project moving forward."

The project is part of the NHM Unlocked Programme. It is enabled through a £201m investment from the UK Government as part of its priority to increase investment in science, research and development.

New Galleries

This new science centre also paves the way for transformative change at the Museum’s South Kensington site. By relocating such extensive collections, two long-closed galleries - one closed in 2004 and the other in 1948 - will be reopened.

Facility construction

The facility will span the equivalent of three football pitches, totalling 25,000m2. It is expected to be finished in 2027 and operational by 2031.

Sustainability is integral to the Museum's operations. The centre at Thames Valley Science Park will be constructed with the lowest possible environmental impact, using responsibly sourced materials and services. The Museum is committed to delivering a highly sustainable building with a net-zero carbon target for operation.

Video footage shows an artist's impression of what the new facility will look like, on the inside and outside.

CGI image credit: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios architects, courtesy of Natural History Museum