Welcome to the Museum | Book List & Collector’s Guide
Welcome to the Museum
Books: Insectarium | Arboretum | Oceanarium | Fungarium | Anatomicum | Planetarium | Dinosaurium | Botanicum | Historium | Animalium
Companions: The Story of Life: Evolution | Christmas Pop-Up Advent Calendar
Introduction & Series Review
The Welcome to the Museum series by Big Picture Press is a treasure trove of knowledge and art that will entertain readers of all ages.
Each book is intended to replicate the experience of visiting a grand museum. With oversized pages, stunning full-color illustrations, and meticulous attention to detail, these books evoke the wonder of walking through exhibits that are both educational and visually arresting.
Written with contributions from leading academics, the texts offer rich insights into the subject matter, but are carefully curated to remain accessible and engaging for all readers. Excellent resources for homeschooling.
These books also stand out for their craftsmanship: cloth-bound spines for durability, premium quality paper, and intricate artwork. Typically released first in the UK, the editions vary slightly in spelling and cover design, but maintain the same globally relevant content so it doesn’t matter too much which one you get. Companion materials for some of the titles include postcard sets and poster books, and there were also a few special limited edition releases for the earlier titles.
List of books
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links for which I may be compensated (this does not affect my reviews nor cost you any money, but helps support my site hosting costs). I deeply appreciate your support of my site if you use these links, but warmly encourage you to buy from your local Indie bookshop if you have the opportunity.
Insectarium - Emily Carter and Dave Gouldson
Author: Dave Goulson | Illustrator: Emily Carter | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2024, 9781800782563 (UK); May 2025, 9781536241143 (US).
“Explores the fascinating world of insects.”
Dave Goulson is a renowned biologist specializing in bee ecology.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition (due May 2025) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells
Also available:
➤ Find Insectarium Poster Book (due Oct 2025) at Blackwells
Arboretum - Tony Kirkman and Katie Scott
Big Picture, Jul 2023, 9781800782198 (UK); Mar 2024, 9781536235012 (US).
Celebrates trees from around the world, highlighting their vital role in maintaining a healthy planet.
Tony Kirkham cared for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s collection of 14,000 trees for over forty years.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Arboretum Mini Book (UK, 2024) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Arboretum Postcards (US, 2025) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Arboretum Postcards (UK, 2023) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Arboretum Poster Book (UK, 2024) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Oceanarium - Loveday Trinick and Teagan White
Big Picture, Oct 2021, 9781787416314 (UK); Apr 2022, 9781536223811 (US).
A deep dive into the wonders of the ocean, exploring marine life from coral reefs to the mysterious deep sea.
Teagan White’s intricate illustrations draw influences from traditional medical and botanical art, bringing marine creatures to life with exceptional detail.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Oceanarium Poster Book (UK, 2023) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Oceanarium Junior (UK, 2024) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Oceanarium Postcards (US, 2025) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay / Oceanarium Postcards (UK, 2022) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Oceanarium Activity Book (UK, 2022) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Fungarium - Ester Gaya, illustrated by Katie Scott
Big Picture, Sep 2020, 9781787415355 (UK); Apr 2021, 9781536217094 (US).
An exploration of fungi in all their forms, showcasing their ecological importance and unique beauty.
Ester Gaya is a senior researcher at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Fungarium Mini Edition (2023) at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Fungarium Poster Book (US, 2023) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay / Poster Book (UK, 2021) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Fungarium Postcards (US, 2024) at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay / Fungarium Postcards (UK, 2021) Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Fungarium Activity Book (2024) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Fungarium Jigsaw Puzzle (2024) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Anatomicum
Author: Jennifer Z. Paxton | Illustrator: Katy Wiedemann | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2019, 9781787414921 (UK); Sep 2020, 9781536215069 (US).
A detailed journey through the human body, exploring its complex systems and functions.
Jennifer Z. Paxton is a lecturer in anatomy at the University of Edinburgh.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Anatomicum Junior (2020) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Anatomicum Postcards (2020) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Anatomicum Activity Book (2020) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Planetarium - Raman Prinja and Chris Wormell
Author: Raman Prinja | Illustrator: Chris Wormell | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2018, 9781787411572 (UK); Apr 2019, 9781536206234 (US).
A celestial journey through the stars, planets, and galaxies.
Raman Prinja is a professor of astrophysics at University College London.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Planetarium Activity Book (2019) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Planetarium Postcards (2019) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Planetarium Poster Book (2025) at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells
Dinosaurium
Author: Lily Murray | Illustrator: Chris Wormell | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2017, 9781783707928 (UK); Apr 2018, 9780763699000 (US).
Dive into the prehistoric world of dinosaurs and ancient reptiles.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Find Dinosaurium Activity Book (2018) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Dinosaurium Junior Edition (2018) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Dinosaurium Poster Book (2018) at Amazon | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Botanicum
Author: Kathy Willis | Illustrator: Katie Scott | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2016, 9781783703944 (UK); Mar 2017, 9780763689230 (US).
A lush exploration of the plant world, featuring trees, flowers, and fungi.
Kathy Willis is the Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ Botanicum Collector’s Edition (2016) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Poster Book (2017) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Activity Book (2017) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Mini Book (2018) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Coloring Book (2020) at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Postcards (US, 2024) at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay / Botanicum Postcards (UK, 2016) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find Botanicum Jigsaw (2024) at Amazon |Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Historium
Author: Jo Nelson | Illustrator: Richard Wilkinson | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2015, 9780763679842 (US) | Sep 2015, 9781783701882 (UK) | 2nd Ed Sep 2022, 9781800783003 (UK)
Discover more than 160 historical artifacts in this virtual museum, exploring ancient civilizations.
The book is organized into galleries that display artifacts from various cultures.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ OOP. Collector’s Edition (2015) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ OOP. Activity Book (UK, 2016) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Animalium
Author: Jenny Broom | Illustrator: Katie Scott | Publication: Big Picture, Sep 2014, 9780763675080 (US) | Templar, Oct 2017, 9781787411647 (UK/International)
The inaugural volume introduces readers to the animal kingdom, with detailed illustrations of mammals, birds, reptiles, and more.
Animalium was awarded Children’s Book of the Year by the Sunday Times and shortlisted for the National Book Awards and Blue Peter Award.
The signed, limited collector’s edition came housed in a slipcase with 10 art prints.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find UK/International edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Also available:
➤ OOP. Animalium Collector’s Edition (2014) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Animalium Activity Book (2015) at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Animalium Mini Gift Edition (UK, 2016) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ OOP. Animalium Postcard Set (2016) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ OOP. Animalium Coloring Book (2017) ➤ Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ OOP. Animalium Poster Book (2017) at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ Animalium Junior Edition (2023) at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Story of Life: Evolution - Katie Scott
Illustrator: Katie Scott, Fiona Munro, Ruth Symons | Publication: Big Picture Press, Oct 2015, 9781783704446 | Sep 2017, 9781783706822 (extended edition).
See the evolution of life on earth in this chronological compendium of over eighty extraordinary creatures of land, sea and sky, from algae to Archaeopteryx and Pterygotus to Tyrannosaurus rex. Each chapter features key species from a different geological era, and the timeline extends to a 2 meter long poster.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Welcome to the Museum Christmas Pop-Up Advent Calendar
Illustrator: Emily Carter | Publication: Templar Publishing, Sep 2023, 9781800784369.
Inside, readers will find a beautiful pop-up tree, alongside a 28 page mini booklet detailing all the wonderful flora and fauna there is to discover during the autumn and winter months, from reindeer to red robins, and pear trees to poinsettia. Includes 25 removable and displayable cardboard ornaments – including pine cones, holly leaves, cinnamon bundles and acorns.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
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