Official UK procurement notice
NHM150 Western Galleries - Galleries Lead Designer (Fit Out) - Exhibition Design
Authority: Natural History Museum (Central government)
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe 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.
Through NHM150, the Museum will:
•Breathe new life into four existing galleries.
•Open three magnificent new galleries.
•Showcase the natural world’s treasures to one million more visitors a year.
•Engage 10 million school children, families and changemakers through local national and global programmes.
•Create over 100 million advocates for the planet.
The first phase is already underway, and the second phase will focus on the west wing of the Waterhouse building, combining base-build refurbishment, including improved circulation and facilities, with the design and installation of new exhibitions and displays. This second phase will form part of a funding application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF).
As part of Phase 2 the Museum is tendering for the exhibition design for the following 4 galleries:
•the Old General Herbarium
•Origins Gallery
•Dinosaur Gallery 1
•Dinosaur Gallery 2
CPV: Design consultancy services · Graphic design services · Museum-exhibition services · Project-design services other than for construction work · Specialty design services
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value (£2,400,000 together) · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Old General HerbariumAwardedPublished value£600,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Origins (Life on Earth Gallery)AwardedPublished value£680,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #3Dinosaur Gallery 1AwardedPublished value£820,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #4Dinosaurs Gallery 2AwardedPublished value£300,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (3)
- Quality
- Social Value
- Price
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 16 Apr 2026, 16:39 BST
- Last source update
- 2 Sept 2026, 17:32 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 21 Sept 2026
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-038372- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-068494Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 23 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 22 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
16 Apr 2026 → 1 Oct 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published190 days ago16 Apr 2026, 16:39 BST
- Market engagement183 days ago23 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
To respond to our survey, please use this link: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/hwyK9SLfjm ↗
We are shortly going out to market for a 2D and 3D Exhibition Designer for the Western Galleries at the Natural History Museum. There are four galleries included in this and we are interested in getting your views on how the lots will be awarded. The galleries are:
•the Old General Herbarium,
•Origins Gallery,
•Dinosaur Gallery 1
•Dinosaur Gallery 2.
The purpose of this survey is to understand suppliers’ appetite and capability for providing these services, and whether our proposed lot structure is of interest.
There are four galleries included in this tender, which will be a lot each. We are intending to award the contract for each lot separately. There will be no restrictions on how many lots a bidder can submit a response for, or how many can be awarded to a single company, although minimum financial thresholds will apply per lot and cumulatively.
As part of the Stage 2 Quality Response bidders will answer a number of questions which will apply across all lots (and should only be answered once), plus a lot specific question(s). Bidders shortlisted at Stage 2 will be invited to present their creative response for each lot they are shortlisted for.
This tender will be run as a three-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure. Stage 1 will be a Pre-Qualification stage, where bidders must meet a number of criteria and demonstrate their relevant experience. Stage 2 will be the Invitation to Tender stage, and Stage 3 will be interview/presentations.
The survey closes at 5pm, Thursday 23rd April 2026.
We are intending to issue Stage 1 documents on the 27th April, with shortlisted bidders being invited to tender on the 1st June (dates may be subject to change).
- Next notice expected179 days ago27 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published179 days ago28 Apr 2026, 10:24 BST
- Clarification questions by155 days ago22 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline154 days ago23 May 2026, 12:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent52 days ago2 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published51 days ago2 Sept 2026, 17:32 BST
- Award decision expected by32 days ago21 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts23 days ago1 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
8 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 16 Apr 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published16 Apr 2026, 16:39 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published28 Apr 2026, 10:24 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active28 Apr 2026, 10:24 BST
- Procurement method changed28 Apr 2026, 10:24 BST
- Deadline published: 23 May 2026, 12:00 BST28 Apr 2026, 10:24 BST
- Contract award notice published2 Sept 2026, 17:32 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete2 Sept 2026, 17:32 BST
- Contract signature expected21 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Old General Herbarium1 award | |||
| KELLENBERGER-WHITE LIMITED1 Oct 2026 – 31 Dec 2029 | £420,200 | 26 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Origins (Life on Earth Gallery)1 award | |||
| NISSEN RICHARDS STUDIO LIMITED1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2031 | £448,890 | 26 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 3 · Dinosaur Gallery 11 award | |||
| Muf Architecture/Art LLPLot 3 - Dinosaur Gallery 20301 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2030 | £429,758 | 26 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 4 · Dinosaurs Gallery 21 award | |||
| STUDIO MUTT LIMITEDLot 1 - Dinosaurs Gallery 20281 Oct 2026 – 31 Jan 2029 | £269,768 | 26 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Old General Herbarium | 5final-stage tenders · 16 at stage one | 5 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Origins (Life on Earth Gallery) | 5final-stage tenders · 13 at stage one | 5 | 0 | — |
| 3 · Dinosaur Gallery 1 | 5final-stage tenders · 13 at stage one | 5 | 0 | — |
| 4 · Dinosaurs Gallery 2 | 4final-stage tenders · 9 at stage one | 4 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
4 commercial parties on the notice- KELLENBERGER-WHITE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- MUF ARCHITECTURE / ART LLPAwarded supplier
- NISSEN RICHARDS STUDIO LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- STUDIO MUTT LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender