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Gallery 33 - Principal Contractor

Natural History Museum

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

14 Sep 2026 at 11:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

11 Sep 2026 at 13:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Natural History Museum intends to appoint a principal contractor for the exhibition fit-out of Gallery 33 at its South Kensington site in London. The project will replace the existing Creepy Crawlies gallery on the ground floor of the Grade 1 listed Waterhouse East Building with a permanent, free gallery for children aged four to seven and their accompanying adults. The new space will use the Museum’s collections, hands-on and multisensory interactives, and stories about biodiversity, interdependence and caring for nature. The principal contractor will deliver the fit-out and subcontract an audiovisual integrator and specialist showcase manufacturer. The work is classified as construction for exhibition and museum buildings, together with museum-exhibition services, and will support a gallery designed for a very large visitor audience over a 25-year lifespan.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the Museum has expressed an intention to procure but has not yet invited tenders. It expects to go out to tender at the end of October 2026. The planned contract is a single lot, with works expected to run from 4 January 2027 to 31 August 2027. The estimated value is £1.4 million excluding VAT, or £1.68 million including VAT. Before the tender, the Museum is carrying out market engagement and inviting potential bidders to complete a survey about their relevant experience, capacity and ability to deliver the works to programme, as well as comment on elements of the requirements. The survey is expected to close at 5pm on 30 September 2026.

The planned work will suit principal contractors experienced in complex museum, exhibition or cultural-building fit-outs, particularly those able to coordinate specialist subcontractors and deliver against a fixed installation programme. The buyer is specifically considering a supply chain that includes an audiovisual integrator and a specialist showcase manufacturer, so firms with established relationships or strong coordination arrangements in these areas should prepare. Experience of working in listed buildings, occupied public attractions and environments designed for young children would be relevant to the project’s setting and purpose. Useful preparation includes demonstrating exhibition construction capability, quality and programme management, coordination of collections-related spaces, and delivery of robust, accessible, hands-on and multisensory visitor environments. The current market engagement is intended to test supplier experience and capacity before the tender.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Gallery 33 - Principal Contractor

Notice Description

In September 2027, we will open a new, permanent gallery at South Kensington dedicated to building a positive connection to nature in our very youngest audiences - aged 4-7 years old - and their adults. This brand-new gallery will be a place where visitors delight in the dazzling variety of life on Earth, from the very small to the very tall, and discover that all life - including us! - share the same needs. We all need to breathe, eat, move, communicate and grow to survive and often depend on each other to do this. Together, we are all part of this great, big, weird and wonderful natural world. It will deliver inspiring stories that celebrate diversity and welcome in the widest possible audience of children and their adults. It will combine our world-leading collections, with hands-on and multi-sensory interactives that evoke joy, empathy and care. This project supports our Strategy and Mission to 2031 and our vision of a future where both people and the planet thrive, with a mission to create advocates for the planet. By appealing to visitors' sense of kindness, their curiosity, and their imagination, this gallery will lay the foundations of advocacy for nature at a young age, foster a lifelong appreciation of the natural world and build a positive connection to nature in early childhood. Gallery 33 (working title) will replace the current Creepy Crawlies gallery on the ground floor the Grade 1 listed Waterhouse East Building and refurbishing the space for the new exhibition. It will open in September 2027 as a free, permanent gallery, and is expected to welcome millions of visitors over a 25-year lifespan. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a new gallery which positions children at the heart of our Museum and inspire the next generation of children to start their lifelong journey of advocacy for the planet. The Natural History Museum wishes to secure the services of a Principal Contractor to undertake the exhibition fit-out, including sub-contracting the services of an AV Integrator and specialist showcase manufacturer.

Planning Information

We will be going out to tender at the end of October and are keen to gauge interest and availability to respond to the tender and carry out the scope of works to programme. We invite potential bidders to complete a short survey to provide some information about their experience and capacity, and to provide input into some elements of the tender requirements. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/RgDNL4DvGQ The survey closes 5pm, Wednesday 30 September.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f815
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086793-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

45212300 - Construction work for art and cultural buildings

45212310 - Construction work for buildings relating to exhibitions

45212313 - Museum construction work

92500000 - Library, archives, museums and other cultural services

92521000 - Museum services

92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,400,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Jan 2027 - 31 Aug 2027 6-12 months
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
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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