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Exhibition Lighting Design - Request for Information

Natural History Museum

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 09:50

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Natural History Museum is gathering information from exhibition lighting designers. The intended requirement is creative design of lighting atmospheres within museum exhibitions, covering lighting systems, artificial and natural lighting engineering for buildings, and museum-exhibition services. The work would support exhibition environments at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London. The buyer is seeking evidence of suppliers’ experience and capability so that it can shape future exhibition lighting design requirements. This is a services procurement focused on specialist exhibition lighting design rather than the supply of general lighting equipment alone. Suppliers with relevant museum, gallery, cultural, architectural or visitor-experience lighting portfolios are likely to find the subject matter relevant.

This process is at the planning stage and is a Request for Information, not an invitation to tender. The Natural History Museum expects to use responses to inform future Exhibition Lighting Design tenders; completing the questionnaire does not guarantee future work or dealings with the museum. Suppliers are asked to complete the linked questionnaire by 21 August 2026 at 23:59. The planned engagement period is 2 August to 3 August 2026. The procurement is a single planned lot for services. Its recorded value is £0, with no contract award or tender competition established at this stage. The buyer is using preliminary market engagement to understand suppliers’ experience in the creative design of lighting atmospheres within exhibitions.

This engagement is best suited to specialist exhibition lighting designers able to demonstrate creative design experience in shaping atmosphere, mood and visitor experience through lighting. Relevant suppliers may include practices working across museums, galleries, heritage sites, cultural venues, architecture or immersive exhibitions, particularly where they combine artistic direction with technical lighting-engineering knowledge. Useful preparation would include case studies showing lighting concepts developed for exhibition spaces, coordination with curators, architects, exhibition designers and building-services teams, and delivery of lighting systems suitable for public buildings. Suppliers with experience balancing conservation, display, accessibility, energy efficiency and operational requirements may be well placed to contribute. The museum is specifically testing the market’s experience before defining future tender requirements, so clear evidence of comparable creative and technical work will be important.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Exhibition Lighting Design - Request for Information

Notice Description

The Natural History Museum is seeking a Request for Information from Exhibition Lighting Designers to gauge experience in the creative design of lighting atmosphere within exhibitions. The information gathered from this RFI will be used to inform future Exhibition Lighting Design tenders and is not a guarantee of work or future dealings with the NHM.

Planning Information

Suppliers are asked to complete the linked questionnaire to respond to this Request for Information: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/83GNzQXEHt Please note, completing this questionnaire is does not guarantee future dealings or works with the Natural History Museum.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d4d5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071051-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

31527260 - Lighting systems

71318100 - Artificial and natural lighting engineering services for buildings

92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
2 Aug 2026 - 3 Aug 2026 30 days
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Natural History Museum
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTH KENSINGTON
Postcode
SW7 5BD
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI33 Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Kensington and Chelsea
Electoral Ward
Brompton & Hans Town
Westminster Constituency
Kensington and Bayswater

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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