Catalogue description British Museum (Natural History): Central Administration: Director's Office: Case and Policy Files

This series contains subject files opened by the Director and the Museum Secretary on a wide range of Museum matters, including the acquisition, exchange and disposal of collections, research projects, accommodation, exhibitions, expeditions, publications, relations with government departments, other organisations and with individuals, research projects, and wartime evacuation.

The filing system was set up in 1921 when it was decided to cease binding incoming papers into Reports and Letters volumes (DF 1000), and was administered by the Museum Secretary's staff, within the Directorate. Earlier papers were incorporated into a few files, but most date from 1921 or later.

When the registry was reorganised in 1972 it was reduced in scope as the Director began to keep his own files separately.

Copies of outgoing papers are present in most files, duplicating those held in DF 1001.

Series held at The Natural History Museum are catalogued more fully in its online catalogue (reference DF ADM/1004). Online descriptions of some individual records can also be viewed on Discovery, see DF 1004.

Related papers are held in the Director's subject files in:

DF 933

The series was transferred to Archives in 1986.