Curator's Cupboard

Any visit to the Natural History Museum is guaranteed to be filled with amazing discoveries about the awe-inspiring diversity of life and the forces that shape our world. But did you know that the displays and exhibits that spark your wonder and curiosity are only the tip of the iceberg? It's true.  For every exotic gemstone, rare and beautiful animal specimen, cultural artifact and dinosaur fossil, there are millions more in the vaults — our Curator's Cupboards — far from the lights of the display cases, waiting for you to see them.

Active Research

The Natural History Museum isn't just about putting an awesome collection on display. Just beyond the exhibit halls, there's a whole world of active research going on as our curators and researchers examine the more-than 35 million objects in our archive and uncover the secrets they reveal of our natural world.

Curator's Cupboards are a chance for curators and Museum visitors to meet, and share a glimpse of the amazing specimens and artifacts you won't get to see on a routine visit to the Museum. In past events, our curators have shared rare marine and mammal specimens, actual meteorites and dinosaur fossils, and insect critters so exotic you'd think they were from Mars.