Photograph: Neal Nachman / Artistic Creationz. Used as an illustrative image.
The Natural History Museum’s 62nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is scheduled to open in London on October 16, 2026. The museum lists a closing date of July 11, 2027, giving photographers and nature enthusiasts an extended opportunity to see the work in person.
An exhibition to study slowly
The museum says the display contains 100 photographs. Its August preview introduced a selection of images and announced that the category and Grand Title winners would be revealed on October 13. As of this report on October 8, those awards are still upcoming; previewed work should not be described as the overall winning image.
The photograph illustrating this article is Neal Nachman’s hawk image from the Shutterbug News archive. It is not presented as an entrant or an awarded photograph from the museum’s competition.
Plan the visit through the museum
The exhibition is at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. Consult the current booking page for timed entry, prices, accessibility information and opening arrangements. The museum also lists resources including a large-print guide and audio descriptions of selected photographs.
Our suggestion for photographers is to choose a few images to examine closely rather than treating the exhibition as a checklist. Consider what the caption explains that the frame cannot, how the photographer establishes scale and whether behavior or habitat carries the story.
Bring the lesson into the field
An exhibition can inspire better observation without encouraging closer approaches to wildlife. Study the composition and storytelling, then adapt those ideas within the distance and access rules of your own location. Our wildlife ethics guide and low-angle field article offer practical starting points.
Continue exploring
The Ethics of Wildlife Photography: Distance, Baiting and Honest Images · Capturing Nature’s Majesty: The Art Of Wildlife Photography From A Low Angle
Source and further reading: Natural History Museum exhibition information · Museum preview and awards announcement. Checked October 8, 2026.
