Meet our International Partnerships Creative Producer

With so many fantastic team members across the Museum, we want to showcase some of them! In this series, find out more about work and life at the museum.

Next up, we talk to our International Partnerships Creative Producer, Conor O’Keeffe, about how he got into the role, the best parts of his job, and the interesting things he’s learned about the Museum.

How did you get into the role you’re in now?

It’s quite a long story – I’ve actually been at the NHM for almost six years! I first started as a retail assistant on the weekends to support my time at university, before volunteering in and eventually joining the learning team after completing my undergraduate degree. I spent a few years in the amazing Science Educator team and started the role I’m in now on a secondment from that team, before becoming permanent. I did my degree in Geography – the comprehensive understanding of how the human and natural worlds interact with one another I got from that has been invaluable for the projects I now work on!

What is the main purpose of your role?

As International Partnerships Creative Producer, I play a huge part in delivering the core NHM mission of creating advocates for the planet. I develop, plan and deliver pioneering programmes that address our role in the planetary emergency, such as Our Broken Planet and Generation Hope: Act for the Planet. A huge part of this is teaming up – with colleagues across the Museum, but also developing new and existing relationships around the world to deliver high profile events, on-site and abroad.

What does a typical day look like?

My days can be quite varied, but typically I’m based in the office at South Kensington, organising and planning events and opportunities with colleagues and partners. Occasionally I do get to travel for work – I was in Glasgow for COP26 last November, and New York for the UN climate week this September, delivering events with partners.

What are the most enjoyable and challenging parts of your role?

The most enjoyable and challenging are often the same part of the role – innovating and finding new ways to engage different audiences with the challenges we face in the planetary emergency! Since a lot of what we do in International Partnerships is breaking new ground, there often isn’t a clear path ahead – it’s up to us to chart that path ourselves. It’s incredibly rewarding to break new ground for the Museum to explore, but can also be tricky figuring out the best approach. Another highlight of the role is getting to meet and work with such amazing people from around the world, especially young climate activists such as Greta Thunberg, Elizabeth Wathuti, and Mitzi Jonelle Tan.

What do you like about working for the Museum?

I grew up in London, and was (and still am as an adult) obsessed with dinosaurs, so I’ve been visiting the Museum for ever. It had always been my dream place to work, and I’m honoured to be a part of the team delivering on such an important part of our strategy at such an important time. The Museum is at the forefront of driving advocacy for the planet both at home and internationally, through science and public programming, and I love being able to share my passion for the NHM and the planet in my job.

What’s the most interesting/weird thing you have learned about the Museum?

The Museum is a very odd place. Hard to pick the most weird, but the stories about our original founder and first director, Richard Owen, are truly the stuff of Victorian nightmares. His contribution to science, palaeontology and Museums in general can’t be understated, he even coined the term “dinosaur”, but he was well-regarded as a scrooge-like figure even in his time. There’s his well-known feud with Darwin over evolution, but his lesser-known feud with fellow palaeontologist Gideon Mantell (namesake of the Mantellisaurus in the Hintze Hall) had a particularly gruesome ending. I strongly advise you to look up their history!

Do you have any fun or special memories you have made while working at the Museum?

Once again, too many to count across the entirety of my time here! Limiting it to my current role, I’d definitely say heading to COP26 with almost 30 other colleagues was quite an experience – we all stayed in an old farm-turned-BnB, complete with a paddock of Alpacas! It was a great way to meet and bond with colleagues from special events, digital and science, especially after starting my role working fully remotely during the 2021 lockdown.