At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creative development of exhibitions and galleries that inspire advocates for the planet.
- Company: Join a world-class museum dedicated to science and public engagement.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, pension scheme, discounts, and training opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping visitor experiences and tackling global challenges.
- Qualifications: Experience in exhibition curation and strong research skills required.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with excellent career growth and a focus on diversity.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Us
We are a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 16 million visits to our website. Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things.
We employ 1100 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world. Diversity and inclusion matter to us. Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment. We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.
About The Role
The Museum's vision is to create a future where people and planet thrive, and its mission is to inspire advocates for the planet. Our ambitious programme of temporary exhibitions and new galleries plays a central role in delivering this strategy. This is an exciting opportunity to support the development of the Museum's public offer by leading the interpretation and creative development of exhibition and gallery projects.
The Exhibition and Interpretation Manager will be responsible for the creation, curation and interpretation of exhibition or gallery projects. They will provide end-to-end creative oversight, ensuring continuity, clarity and accountability of the project vision from initiation through to delivery. They will lead the development and implementation of this creative vision through the relevant creative workstreams, ensuring that exhibitions and galleries meet audience needs and align with the Museum's strategic priorities.
About You
This is an exciting role for a candidate with substantial interpretation experience and a strong track record in overseeing creative content for exhibitions, galleries, capital projects or other public-facing initiatives. The role requires experience in delivering intellectually robust research—whether in an academic or museum context—alongside experience defining, developing and delivering creative exhibitions and galleries through RIBA work stages, and leading multidisciplinary teams.
You will have experience shaping exhibition or gallery visions, developing interpretation plans, and producing well-researched, audience focused text. Your creative mindset will translate research and collections into compelling visitor experiences, aligning design, interpretation and all creative work packages to deliver a coherent and impactful project vision. You will be highly organised, confident in managing competing priorities and schedules, and motivated by a strong interest in science, public engagement and the challenges facing the natural world today.
Thriving at the Museum: the way we work
We are proud to work at the Museum and have identified the qualities we all need to embody to reach our shared ambition. This sits alongside the Museum's values and forms the framework for the way we work.
What We Offer
- 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
- Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4 - 10%)
- Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
- Life insurance
- Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
- Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
- We offer a wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills. Investing in staff development is important to us, and we are ambitious about helping staff to grow and fulfil their potential.
- Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including an extensive list of special offers and reduced entry fees at a selection of cinema chains, theme parks, theatres, retailers and supermarkets. It also provides entry to up to 300 English Heritage sites and other national treasures.
- Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in-house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi
Hybrid working
We are working towards a vision where both people and planet thrive, and nothing gives a greater connection with this, than seeing first-hand, the visitors, scientific research and collections that all of our work is inspired by and working side by side with the teams delivering the visitor experience and events. We also recognise the benefits and flexibility that hybrid working brings. We operate a hybrid working model that requires regular, weekly attendance for this role, with the precise pattern of days on site and worked from home to be agreed with your manager.
How To Apply
If this sounds like you, please apply below by clicking on Apply for job. Please note that as part of our commitment to anonymised shortlisting, panels do not view CVs during the recruitment process. If you choose to upload your CV, our system will automatically pull information from your CV into our application form. We advise you to double-check your application form data before submitting as the tool may interpret CVs differently.
Closing date: 23:59 on 1 March 2026. Interviews expected: w/c 16 March 2026. Please note that this role does not qualify for Museum sponsorship so the successful postholder will need to have a valid right to work in the UK at the point of offer.
Exhibition and Interpretation Manager in London employer: Natural History Museum
Contact Detail:
Natural History Museum Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Exhibition and Interpretation Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the Museum inside out! Familiarise yourself with their exhibitions, collections, and mission. This will not only help you in interviews but also show your genuine interest in the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend events at the Museum. Building relationships can give you insider info and might just land you a recommendation.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions related to exhibition management and interpretation. Think about how your experience aligns with their vision of inspiring advocates for the planet.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team and contributing to their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Exhibition and Interpretation Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for the role shine through in your application. We want to see how your passion for exhibitions and interpretation aligns with our mission to inspire advocates for the planet.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight your relevant experience and skills. We’re looking for someone who can lead creative projects, so showcase your past successes in a way that speaks directly to this role.
Be Clear and Concise: When filling out the application form, keep your answers clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of your experience and ideas.
Double-Check Your Details: Before hitting submit, take a moment to review your application. Our system pulls data from your CV, so ensure everything looks right and accurately reflects your qualifications. We want to see the best version of you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Natural History Museum
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the Museum's mission and values, especially around diversity and inclusion. Familiarise yourself with their current exhibitions and how they align with the challenges facing the natural world today. This shows genuine interest and helps you connect your experience to their goals.
✨Showcase Your Creativity
Prepare to discuss specific examples of past exhibition or gallery projects you've led. Highlight how you developed creative visions and interpretation plans that engaged audiences. Be ready to explain your thought process and how you translated research into compelling visitor experiences.
✨Demonstrate Team Leadership
Since the role involves leading multidisciplinary teams, come prepared with examples of how you've successfully managed competing priorities and schedules. Talk about how you foster collaboration and ensure everyone is aligned with the project vision from start to finish.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that reflect your understanding of the role and the Museum’s objectives. Inquire about their future exhibition plans or how they measure audience engagement. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also your strategic thinking regarding the position.