Filming and photography guidelines

The Science Museum receives many requests from broadcasters and TV production companies wanting to film the museum, or objects within it, every week. We look at each of these requests on a case-by-case basis.

All filming requests need to give clear deadlines, and details on how they will be mentioning the museum in the footage or programme.

Filming enquiries

Please email pressoffice@sciencemuseum.org.uk or call the press office to make an enquiry.

Commercial filming

For commercial filming please email venuehire@sciencemuseum.org.uk or call 020 7942 4340.

Guidelines

To ensure that you get all the images, interviews etc. that you require and also that our visitors get what they want, please follow these simple guidelines.

As a visitor to the Museum, you are expected to comply with the Museum's Health and Safety Policy. This requires you to take reasonable care for both your own health and safety and that of others. If you have any concerns or queries about health and safety hazards associated with your work at the museum, please raise them with your Museum press office contact.

1. All filming, interviews and photography must be arranged directly through the press office, NOT with any other member of Museum staff or external body.
2. Please arrive on time. The Museum has a busy schedule of journalists' visits and filming. Because you must be accompanied by a press officer at all times and because there may be another crew arriving as you finish, time over-runs will cause problems.
3. Before the filming date, please liaise with your press office contact to agree a time and location to meet at the Museum.
4. Under no circumstances must the arranged filming/interviews be altered (either time/place or content) with the Curator/interviewee without express approval of the press office.
5. The Museum can be noisy, especially in the children's areas. Interactive exhibits (many of which make a noise) cannot be turned off as they are on an automated system.
6. Apart from installations which are specifically designed to be handled, no objects can be held, touched or moved. However, if there are objects you are particularly interested in, we may be able to make arrangements with the curator to handle them. Please note, this takes time to organise and must be arranged through the press office in advance.
7. Due to time constraints, the press office will reserve the right to stop the filming if it appears to be over-running or the crew has arrived late to the Museum. This can be negotiated and will be subject to the press office availability.
8. Interviews with visitors may only take place with a member of the press office's express approval and then only with the agreement of the visitor. The filming or interviewing of children may only take place with the express permission of their parent or guardian.
9. All filming is subject to negotiated terms and conditions as outlined by the press office. Depending on relevance to the Museum, we reserve the right to apply an administration/staffing charge.
10. The Museum opening hours are 10.00–18.00. While it is possible to arrange filming outside this time, doing so may incur administration and staffing charges.
11. Unfortunately the Museum has no parking spaces. However there is metered parking available on Prince Consort Road and Queen's Gate.
12. There is no power available in the Museum; all equipment must be battery operated. You'll find your visit far easier if you keep your equipment to a minimum—the Museum is seven stories high and over a quarter of a mile long!