The Gilded Canopy
Botanical ceiling Panels of the Natural History Museum

How can a major art collection be on full display to the public, yet never be noticed? The answer is that it is on the ceiling. These painted panels were a key part of the Natural History Museum's original design and are covered in plants of all descriptions, painted in rich colours and finely gilded.

Each panel tells a story, from plants that have made and broken Empires to those that have brought joy through their beauty or been the cause for terrible human suffering. With specially commissioned photographs showing every single panel and intriguing plant histories throughout, this book is a fascinating insight into one of London's best kept secrets.