THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ARCHIVES
Guidelines for researchers intending to publish archival material
We are happy to allow the inclusion of quotations from or references to Archives material in
publications written by researchers, on condition that permission is sought in writing from us (letter,
email or fax) prior to publication. However, we do ask that anyone intending to publish follow these
guidelines, to ensure the material is accurately quoted and appropriately credited.
The Archives’ holdings fall into two main sections – material relating to the Museum itself, the
official Archives, bearing the reference ‘DF’; and material, mainly incoming correspondence to
curators Karl Jordan and Ernst Hartert, relating to Walter Rothschild’s museum at Tring, which has
the reference ‘TM’.

When making notes from Archives material, please ensure that you take down the correct
reference. This consists of an alphanumerical code, so official Archives, ‘DF’, will be, for
example, DF100/23. If you are consulting the Tring correspondence, the reference code will
look like TM1/10/2.
This enables all interested parties, whether yourself, Archives staff or future readers of your
publication, to identify and trace the item to which you are referring.

When footnoting or referencing an Archives item, please use the following format and
citation, noting the reference, title and date of the material, for example:
Natural History Museum Archives DF100/23, Department of Palaeontology,
Departmental Correspondence, 1888. By permission of the Trustees of The Natural
History Museum.
Natural History Museum Archives TM1/10/2, Tring Museum Correspondence,
Correspondence So-Z, 1894. By permission of the Trustees of The Natural History
Museum.
If you are referring to a large quantity of Archives material the ‘By permission’ citation need
only appear once, either in the bibliography or the first time material is referenced. A
covering statement should be made, such as “All material from the Natural History Museum
Archives is used here by permission of the Trustees of the Natural History Museum.”
As the subject libraries within LIS each have their own manuscript section, it is important that
‘Archives’ appears in your reference in order to identify the location.

Prior to publication we request that you send us a copy of any text that includes quotations
taken from Archives material, and any references listed. Archives staff will then check your
text against the originals to ensure that everything is accurate.
If you have any questions, please contact the Archives at [email protected], phone 020 7942
5507, or at Archives, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.
LIS Archives March 2004; updated March 2010