Thames & Hudson was founded in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath. Their passion and mission for T&H was that its books should reveal the world of art to the general public, to create a 'museum without walls' and to make accessible to a broad, non-specialist reading public, at prices it could afford, the research and the findings of top scholars and academics.

To capture the essence of this international concept, the name for the company linked the rivers flowing through London and New York Thames & Hudson has always prided itself on the very high standards of the books it produces, both in content and quality of production, and attracts many authors, artists, designers, illustrators and photographers who are distinguished in their own fields. The company specializes in the arts (fine, applied, decorative, performing), archaeology and history, architecture, design, photography, travel and popular culture, but also publishes in a variety of other areas, especially those of visual interest.

Thames & Hudson Australia commenced trading in 1969, and now represents a range of other international publishing houses specialising in the visual arts.