London Competition : Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a world-renowned research institution and cultural attraction.

This success has inspired the Trustees to embark on a long-term masterplan to address visitor engagement, care of the collection and renewal of the building (opened in 1880) and site. A crucial early initiative is the successful resolution of the Museum's Grounds that make up over half of the site area.

Waterhouse's original plans for the grounds were never properly realised. The current layout is neither appropriate to a world-class institution nor effective in accommodating day-to-day use.

This two-stage competition invites designers to help re-imagine the grounds and create a new civic public realm as a fitting setting for this much-loved building and Collection.