Since its inception in the early 1970s, the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging technique has developed to the point that it is now used as a routine clinical diagnostic tool in many hospitals. As a result, virtually all research in NMR imaging was until recently directed towards mapping the water and lipid distribution contained in human soft tissue, and it is only within the last few years that a start has been made in exploring the non-medical applications of NMR imaging. In this review article we discuss some of the many applications of NMR imaging to studies of the production and evaluation of 'advanced materials', particularly polymers and polymer composites, and review some of the studies which have already been undertaken. It is hoped that this article will be read both by polymer scientists and engineers interested in this powerful new research tool for studying their materials, and also by those already involved in other aspects of NMR imaging who are seeking challenging new problems.