This bust portrays Palmerston in statesman's dress wearing a high collar, bow tie and sash with a sash and star of the Order of the Garter on his chest. Palmerston first became Prime Minister in 1855, when the Crimean War was at its height, and then again during the period 1859-1865. He was a dominant figure in British politics, and this bust may be a reduced verion of a larger one commissioned from Adams to commemorate his death. Adams exhibited a bust of Palmerston at the Royal Academy in 1867. A plaster cast variant of the present bust was purchased in 1899 by the National Portrait Gallery, London.

George Gammon Adams (b. 1821-1898) was a portrait sculptor and medallist. He designed and exhibited prize medals for the Great Exhibition. In 1852 he was chosen to model the death mask of Wellington. One of his public monuments is the 'Napier' statue in Trafalgar square.

The bust was among the items given to the Museum by I. D. Adams, the daughter of George Gammon Adams, in 1980. In total, 196 items were included in the Adams gift, which consisted of many models for medals as well as the busts and figurative sculpture. In most instances it is not possible to date conclusively the many models included in this gift.