Sound choices: 19 podcasts to bring the Museum to your home

A tray of fly specimens as part of our The Perfect Specimen podcast

Every year the Museum attracts millions of curious visitors eager to learn about the natural world.

Bring that curiosity home, and learn more about natural history, science, and the world around you with these great podcasts.

Availability of each podcast or episode can vary between apps so visit the website of the podcast you're interested in, or your app of choice, to find out where you can listen.

Josh and Natalie browse the archive shelves, looking for the 'perfect' specimen

1. The Perfect Specimen

What is it about? Delve behind the scenes in our newest podcast as we take a look at some of the weird and wonderful specimens that make up our collection. Each episode, our hosts take their pick from 80 million specimens at the Natural History Museum to find the 'perfect' specimen. Their only prompt? A single word.

Which episode to start with? Start off strong with Episode 1 where Natalie and Josh have both brought specimens relating to the word 'perfect'. Listen on Spotify.

2. Our Broken Planet

What is it about? Discover some of the interconnected issues facing our planet and explore what we can do about them together. Hear from activists, scientists and those most affected as we unpack the challenges we face as well as the solutions that lie within our grasp.

Which episode to start with? Episode 2 will start you off hot, looking at how our planet's history has been shaped by fire, and peer into the future as we ask how nature will adapt to a new era shaped by flame. Listen on Spotify, Apple or on our website.

3. Wild Crimes

What is it about? Our podcast Wild Crimes looks at transgressions in the natural world. It is a great way to get your natural history fix between visits to the Museum. With episodes covering mammoths, dinosaurs and more, it is not just for science lovers, we also think fans of true crime, factual and storytelling podcasts will dig it (pun intended).

Which episode to start with? The beginning! The podcast launched in July 2021, so you can listen to series one from the start. Listen on Spotify, Apple or Google.

4. No Such Thing as a Fish

What is it about? Laugh and learn in this weekly podcast, where the writers of QI present their favourite facts. From the Victorian craze for ferns to Roman toilets - no topic is too odd. Episodes are released every Friday.

Which episode to start with? Episode 156 - No such thing as a limited edition. It has Museum entomologist Dr Erica McAlister as a guest star. Aired 17 March 2017.

5. Aaron Mahke's Cabinet of Curiosities

What is it about? Before museums there were curiosity cabinets where unusual objects were put on show. This podcast displays two unusual tales from history, twice a week. At just 10 minutes an episode, Cabinet of Curiosities is ideal for those short on time (or short on attention span).

Which episode to start with? Episode 179 - Monkeying around. It covers Oliver the 'humanzee' and America's Project X-Ray, which planned to use bats to drop bombs. Aired 20 March 2020.

6. Museum of Curiosity

What is it about? The original virtual museum, this long-running comedy podcast invites guests to donate an object of their choice to a virtual museum. Anything can be donated, and the only limit is the imagination of the guests.

Which episode to start with? Series 14, episode six - A swarm of fruit flies, a bionic arm and the feeling you get when an animal trusts you are all donated. This episode shows the diversity of the collection at its best. Aired 12 November 2019.

7. Ologies with Alie Ward

What is it about? Fascinated by something oddly specific? There is an oology for that. Alie Ward's funny podcast combines science with obsession, interviewing professional 'ologists' about their obsessions. From zoology to philematology (that's kissing), there will be a topic to grab your interest. Episodes are released every Tuesday.

Which episode to start with? Plumology - the study of feathers. Aired 31 March 2020.

8. Best of Natural History Radio

What is it about? All the best programming and podcasts on natural history, in one place. From planet puffin to bone stories, the sheer variety of topics will keep you hooked.

Which episode to start with? Continuing the fondness for misfit animals, the natural histories episode on the aye-aye is a great starting point. Aired 29 November 2019.

9. BBC Earth

What is it about? BBC Earth mixes sounds, storytelling, nature, and science to inspire listeners. From animals to space, the three series of half-hour episodes are guaranteed to teach you something new about the world we live in.

Which episode to start with? The Museum has a soft spot for ugly animals, so beauty in nature is a must. This episode uncovers animals that do not fit traditional beauty standards and asks the question - who decides what's beautiful anyway? Aired 4 April 2019.

10. Meet Me at the Museum

What is it about? Be a fly on the wall as a celebrity takes their friend, relative or whoever they fancy for a visit to one of the UK's museums or galleries. Learn behind-the-scenes information about that museum while the guest discusses art, life, and every topic imaginable.

Which episode to start with? Russell Kane at Whitworth combines comedy and wholesomeness, as he takes his aunt to Manchester's Whitworth Gallery. Aired 7 January 2020.

11. Museum of Lost Objects

What is it about? Another BBC podcast, this one examines the histories of artefacts and landmarks which have been destroyed or looted. The series ran from 2016 to 2017, but all episodes are still available online.

Which episode to start with? The winged bull of Nineveh. It tells the story of the 2,700-year-old statue, its purpose in Nineveh and how it came to be destroyed. Aired 29 March 2016.

12. English Hertiage Podcast

What is it about? Visit the UK's finest English Heritage properties without leaving your home. Each episode ties a topic to a place - Carlisle Castle and Mary Queen of Scots for example - and interviews members of staff at the site about its unique history.

Which episode to start with? Episode 52 - Power and influence: the remarkable women who changed history. This episode sees senior properties historian Dr Megan Leyland and collections curator Olivia Fryman discuss the women in history that inspire them. Emma Darwin is one of the women featured. Aired 26 March 2020.

13. The Life Scientific

What is it about? Professor Jim Al-Khalil talks to scientists about their lives and current research projects. Get inspired by living scientists who are working to change the future in the now.

Which episode to start with? Another episode featuring Museum entomologist Dr Erica McAlister, this one uncovers the beauty of flies. Aired 16 April 2019.

14. BatChat

What is it about? BatChat is the Bat Conservation Trust's podcast, and is aimed at members, the bat conservation community and bat lovers everywhere. Episodes are released every other Wednesday.

Which episode to start with? The two-part episode recorded live from the Museum, of course. Aired 22 January 2020.

15. Everything Under the Sun

What is it about? While some of these podcasts may be suitable for children (parent advisory required), Everything Under the Sun is written for children to answer some of the endless questions asked by kids. New episodes are released every Friday.

Which episode to start with? Episode 47 - Why are plants green? How much bamboo can a giant panda eat? Is Dippy the Diplodocus a boy or a girl? This Museum-focussed episode answers three different questions asked by children. Aired 13 December 2019.

16. The Weirdest Things We Learnt This Week

What is it about? The editors of PopScience created this podcast to share the oddest science facts they learn each week. Whatever the weirdest thing you learnt that week, this podcast is likely to top it. New episodes are released every Wednesday.

Which episode to start with? 40,000 vanishing pigeons, artificial hips and the science of poodle haircuts. Aired 13 March 2019.

17. Get Birding

What is it about? Get Birding is a podcast hosted by Dr Mya-Rose Craig. It helps budding bird watchers everywhere learn about the birds on their doorstep. It's the perfect mix of natural history, music and birds.

Which episode to start with? There's only a handful of episodes out at the moment, so start at the beginning and go from there.

18. Stuff You Missed in History Class

What is it about? Stuff You Missed in History Class covers all the things you probably should know but have forgotten. From American history to scientific discoveries, this podcast refreshes your memory in a simple, entertaining way. Episodes are released at least once a week.

Which episode to start with? Mary Anning. Learn about Museum favourite and famous palaeontologist Mary Anning in 25 minutes. Aired March 5 2012, repeated September 2018.

19. In Our Time

What is it about? Everything. The long-running radio show has been discussing historical subjects for over 15 years. Presented by Melvyn Bragg with well-known academics speaking on their specialist subject, In Our Time puts you in the centre of the latest debates.

Which episode to start with? With hundreds of episodes, it is hard to pick, but it must be dinosaurs. Episodes are released every Thursday. Aired 16 April 2020.

Virtual Museum

Delve into the Museum from home with a virtual self-guided tour of the galleries.