Welcome to Walpole

Introducing Natural History Museum, our latest Walpole member

Learn a little more about our new Walpole member, Natural History Museum, in our interview with the cultural institution's Head of Licensing, Maxine Lister
21st Jun 2023
Welcome to Walpole Introducing Natural History Museum, our latest Walpole member

The Natural History Museum is both a world-leading science research centre and the most-visited indoor attraction in the UK. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, it is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanity’s needs with those of the natural world. 

The museum uses its global reach and influence to meet its mission to create advocates for the planet - to inform, inspire and empower everyone to make a difference for nature. We welcome millions of visitors through our doors each year, our website has had 17 million visits in the last year and our touring exhibitions have been seen by around 20 million people in the last 10 years. 

Learn a little more about the Natural History Museum, in our interview with the cultural institution's Head of Licensing, Maxine Lister.

 
 
 
 
Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing, Natural History Museum

Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand…

Maxine Lister: Our history dates back to the founding of the British Museum in 1753. Now located at South Kensington, the Waterhouse building will be 150 years old in 2031. Envisaged as a ‘cathedral to nature’ by the Museum’s first Director, Richard Owen, it represents nature’s past, present and future. The blue whale suspended from the ceiling is a powerful symbol – aptly named 'Hope', it continues to inspire and delight millions of people each year. 

The Museum is custodian of specimens from three centuries of some of the world’s most important scientific expeditions: Charles Darwin’s voyage of the HMS Beagle, from which the theory of evolution was to emerge; the Challenger expedition, which laid the foundations of oceanography, and more recently, explorations of our own solar system.

Today, our collections and the work of our scientists continue to benefit present and future generations. Central to our vision is a plan not just to protect this astonishing treasure trove of global significance, but also to provide both an unrivalled opportunity for scientific research and an ideal way to inform, inspire and empower the public to make a difference for nature – so that we can make a positive impact far beyond the physical walls of our Museum.

What is your brand best known for?

Our collection is world-renowned, but it is the nostalgia of visiting the museum when you are young whether on a school visit or with family. I have lost count of the number of meetings I have had in the museum where the first discussion are the memories of visiting the museum for the first time and the affect that had. Obviously depending on your age our dinosaurs in particular are a strong memory!

I would also hope that we are starting to get a reputation within the licensing industry regarding pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in heritage licensing and the beautiful product we produce with our partners. 

What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?

Earlier this year, we were delighted that the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions’ 2022 figures revealed we were the most popular indoor attraction in the UK, with a 196% increase in attendance! This means that for two years in a row now, we are the most visited UK Museum – a real testament to our inspiring public programme of events and exhibitions, and the strength of our brand.

We are also proud to have achieved Best Heritage Brand for the fourth year in a row at the Brand and Lifestyle Awards in April this year. The licensing programme enables us to reach consumers that may never set foot inside the Museum but can still be inspiring and create a love of natural world and advocates for our planet.

Why do you love the brand?

The Natural History Museum is an iconic heritage brand known and loved all over the world. From a commercial licensing point of view, the breadth of our collection enables us to be creative with the partners we collaborate with and the products that we develop which is incredibly exciting.

The museum is also a world-renowned scientific institution where our scientists are working on research to help understand our impact on the planet. They are contributing critical data to help the global fight to save the planet from major threats which is incredibly important and something that I believe very few people realise when they visit the museum. 

Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury?

As an iconic British institution, we are beloved and trusted by the public. Our collections are simultaneously steeped in history and helping to play a vital role in shaping a better future for our planet. So, for many, when they see our brand outside the physical walls of the museum, it inspires feelings of both fond nostalgia, and a sense of hope for the future. 

Our brand strikes an important balance that remains true to the mission of the museum: beautiful, high-quality products inspired by our iconic collections and architecture, with sustainability at its heart. 

What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?

Walpole’s mission is to promote British excellence and we are excited to meet iconic British brands that have the shared values of the museum. To be associated with these inspirational brands is incredibly important to the museum, especially with the focus in licensing on the international markets and the opportunities to showcase the brand and what we stand for to an audience who may never make it to London to visit the museum itself. 

The team at Walpole have been extremely welcoming and we are excited about working with Walpole and its members. 

If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose?

In 2019, we collaborated with Farrow & Ball – a former Walpole member – on a 16-colour paint range named ‘Colour by Nature’. Each shade was inspired by entries in Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours, an 1814 classification of colour in nature. Having once aided the young Charles Darwin on his voyage aboard HMS Beagle, an edition now sits in the Museum’s unparalleled Library and Archives. ‘Colour by Nature’ is a celebration not only of colour, but also of the shared respect and curiosity for the natural world. The campaign was also shortlisted at the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2019 in the Best Creative Collaboration category, so we are thrilled now to be a Walpole member. 

Our membership of Walpole is so thrilling, and there are many members that I would love to meet and discuss collaborations with across all sectors so it would be impossible to choose just one!

Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for your brand in the coming months?

One development I am particularly excited about is our Urban Nature Project – the new gardens spanning around the museum grounds are due to open in 2024 and will be somewhere visitors can learn more about the incredible diversity of life on Earth, and museum scientists can develop best practices to protect urban nature.

The museum’s existing Wildlife Garden is going to be extended to double the area of native habitats within the grounds, with the aim of better supporting, monitoring and managing the animal and plant life diversity. New outdoor galleries in the grounds will tell the story of evolving life on Earth from 540 million years ago to the present day, following an immersive timeline of plants, trees, reptiles, birds and mammals.

I am sure this fantastic new space for the Museum will also catalyse new creative ideas when it comes to collaborating with our partners and the products that we develop together. 

Visit Natural History Museum's Walpole member profile below
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