This case has been designed, created and brought to life by the Museum’s undergraduate and school placement students who are a part of the Natural Science and Heritage Scheme 2026. Rather than simply responding to the theme, they have reinterpreted it through their own experiences of the Museum and their relationship with its collections, spaces, and people. The display reflects one of the core ideas behind the Museum’s placement programme: that young people should be able to explore the Museum, make it their own, and see themselves as an active part of its continuing story.

The Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, has been a place of discovery, curiosity and scientific exchange for generations. Then, we remember the scientists and contributors whose work shaped our understanding of the natural world, but whose stories have too often been overlooked or forgotten. Now, we celebrate the people who keep the Museum alive today, from researchers and educators to conservators and public engagement teams and the passions that brought them here. Future looks to the next generation: the Natural Science and Heritage Scheme students and interns beginning to find their own place within the Museum. Together, these voices show how natural history is not simply something we inherit, but something we continually question, share and shape for the future.

A selection of images from the case