HOPE for the Future – Heritage, Outreach and Preservation of Entomology

HOPE for the Future was an ambitious project that ran from 2019-2022, with the aim of protect and sharing the Museum's irreplaceable British insect collection. Containing over one million specimens – including dozens of iconic species now considered extinct in the UK – the collection offers us an extraordinary window into the natural world and the ways it has changed over the last 200 years.

In the space of just one year, staff, volunteers, and interns were able to restore, rehouse, and relabel all 1 million of our British insect specimens, ensuring their preservation for generations to come. We have also been able to share our insect collection with the public through events, learning resources, blog posts, and more!