In this paper we present experiments, simulation as well as analysis of the collapse behaviour of thin spherical shells under quasi-static loading. Various aluminium spherical shells with variation in geometrical parameters were manufactured by spinning. Experiments were performed on these shells in a universal testing machine and their load-compression histories were obtained on the machine chart recorder. Three-dimensional numerical simulations were carried out for all the specimens tested under quasi-static loading using ANSYS®. All the stages of collapse of the shell including non-symmetrical lobe formation were simulated. Material, geometric and contact nonlinearities were incorporated in the analysis. The stress-strain curves of standard samples made from the material were used as input. Piecewise linearity was taken in the plastic region of the material curve. Results thus obtained compared with the experiments well. An analysis was also carried out to study the behaviour of shells under axial compression based on the formation of rolling and stationary plastic hinges. These hinges were also simulated numerically and results match the experiments well. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.