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NHM150 Western Galleries - Visitor Flow and Circulation Consultant

Natural History Museum

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

10 Aug 2026 at 16:34

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 15:12

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Natural History Museum is procuring visitor flow and circulation consultancy for Phase 2 of its NHM150 transformation programme in London. The consultant will advise on visitor flow, horizontal and vertical circulation, capacity, orientation and movement through the refurbished Western Galleries and Oceans Hall. The work covers the Western Galleries and Oceans Hall base-build projects, plus the Dinosaurs 28 (Swing Space) and Lives of Dinosaurs exhibition fit-outs, with further advice for other gallery and exhibition projects. The consultant will develop an integrated circulation strategy across individual galleries, the wider Western Galleries and Oceans Hall, and the wider museum. The service is specialist building, engineering, surveying, analysis and museum-related consultancy supporting an accessible and coherent visitor experience.

The procurement has reached tender: the Museum invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. It is one lot. Enquiries were due by 12:00 on 14 August 2026, and offers were due electronically by 12:00 on 14 September 2026. The contract is scheduled to run from 5 October 2026 to 31 May 2029, with an option to extend to 31 August 2029. The estimated value is £40,000 excluding VAT, or £48,000 including VAT. Evaluation is based on quality at 60%, social value at 10% and price at 30%. The initial firm period is two years and eight months; any three-month extension is at the Museum’s discretion and would be issued under a new contract.

This opportunity suits specialist visitor-flow, circulation, capacity-planning or wayfinding consultancies with experience advising complex cultural, public-facing or heritage environments. Suppliers should be able to provide strategic and technical analysis covering horizontal and vertical movement, visitor capacity, orientation and accessibility, and turn that analysis into practical design advice. The successful consultant will need to work as an integrated member of multidisciplinary design teams, supporting base-build and exhibition fit-out projects through RIBA Stages 2 to 4. Experience coordinating advice across individual galleries, a wider museum complex and multiple project teams will be relevant. The requirement is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and includes a social-value evaluation component.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

NHM150 Western Galleries - Visitor Flow and Circulation Consultant

Notice Description

The Natural History Museum has launched NHM150, an ambitious transformation programme leading up to its 150th anniversary in 2031. The programme will significantly enhance the Museum's public offer, increasing access, reach and impact through a major renewal of galleries and visitor experiences. The Natural History Museum is seeking to appoint a Visitor Flow and Circulation Consultant to support the delivery of Phase 2 of the NHM150 Programme. The appointment will span both the base build projects and the associated gallery fit out projects and the consultant will form part of the wider multidisciplinary design teams. The consultant will provide strategic and technical advice relating to visitor flow, horizontal and vertical circulation, capacity, orientation, and visitor movement throughout the refurbished Western Galleries and Oceans Hall. The consultant shall support the development of an integrated visitor circulation strategy which considers individual galleries and spaces, the Western Galleries and Oceans Hall as a whole, and within the context of the wider museum. The appointment will cover RIBA Stages 2-4 of the Western Galleries Base Build, Oceans Gallery Base Build, Dinosaurs 28 (Swing Space) Exhibition Fit Out and Lives of Dinosaurs (Dinosaurs 30) Exhibition Fit Out projects. They will be required to work as a fully integrated member of the project design teams, providing specialist expertise, analysis and design support to ensure the delivery of a coherent, accessible and enjoyable visitor experience across the Phase 2 galleries. The consultant shall also provide advice and recommendations in response to queries by the Lead Designer(s) and NHM Core Team, for the Old General Herbarium & Botany Library Exhibition Fit Out, Life on Earth (Origins) Exhibition Fit Out and Oceans Gallery Exhibition Fit Out projects. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Construction-work-for-buildings-relating-to-leisure%2C-sports%2C-culture%2C-lodging-and-restaurants./9378W497XY To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/9378W497XY

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Subject to the outcome of the feasibility study and at the Museum's sole discretion, the Museum may also appoint the consultant to the Oceans Gallery Fit Out project to provide their services as a fully integrated member of the project design team for RIBA Stages 2-4. The contract will have an initial firm period of 2 years and 8 months, with an option to extend the Contract period for a further 3 months. The Contract may be extended at the Museum's sole discretion, and the extension will be issued under a new contract to the Supplier.

Planning Information

Bidders are invited to an online Bidder Briefing Session and Q&A (to be held on Microsoft Teams) in w/c 3 August 2026. In order to register for this session bidders should sign the NDA which is available in the SQ stage document library. This must be returned by 12 noon, Monday 3 August. The NDA must be signed by an appropriate representative of the tendering company and returned to the Museum for countersignature. To access the SQ stage, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/X9234TMCGC Once the NDA has been completed by both parties, it will be sent to tenderers for record keeping. The tenderer will then be invited to the briefing session. The date and time of the session will be confirmed shortly, and the invite will be sent out Monday 3 August. The session will be recorded and circulated to all bidders, including those who were unable to attend. All bidders who have completed the NDA will be given access to the tender documents, which are currently expected to be available from the 10 August 2026 (this date is subject to change).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d57e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075902-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

45212000 - Construction work for buildings relating to leisure, sports, culture, lodging and restaurants

45212313 - Museum construction work

71250000 - Architectural, engineering and surveying services

71315200 - Building consultancy services

71315300 - Building surveying services

71320000 - Engineering design services

71620000 - Analysis services

92520000 - Museum services and preservation services of historical sites and buildings

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£40,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
14 Sep 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
5 Oct 2026 - 31 May 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
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
LONDON
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
TLI London
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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