Museums, libraries and archives tell the stories of our cultural heritage. Through the objects, collections, film, documents and oral histories they hold they help to give us a sense of place and identity.
Thanks to National Lottery players, since 1994 we have awarded over £2.4billion to more than 1,200 museums and galleries across the UK.
We have awarded over £500,000 to more than 1,700 projects in UK archives and libraries.
What do we support?
Our funding supports institutions large and small, including:
- national and local authority museums, libraries and archives
- historic libraries
- community archives
- institutions with heritage collections
Project ideas
Our funding could help people:
- revitalise buildings and provide new purpose-built facilities
- create exciting new exhibition and learning spaces
- refurbish specialist libraries, archives and galleries
- attract more diverse audiences
- interpret and open up acquisitions
- develop collections
How to get funding
News article
National Football Museum acquires prize-winning Toynbee artwork thanks to National Lottery grant
The National Football Museum has acquired an exciting new painting to add to its collection of 20th century art, thanks to National Lottery players.
News article
Black Country Living Museum to build historic new town
Thanks to £9.4million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Black Country Living Museum will undergo a huge transformation to share stories of life in the 1940-60s.
News article
Seven days to celebrate #MuseumWeek 2019
We're getting involved with Museum Week's seven themes over seven days using seven hashtags. To celebrate, we're sharing one fantastic National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported museum every day.
News article
Marvellous mills to explore this National Mills Weekend
The ultimate in sustainable power, hundreds of windmills across the country are opening up their doors to the public for National Mills Weekend (11-12 May). We've chosen some of our favourites.
Blog
Superlative museum specimens
It's International Museum Day on 18 May. To celebrate, we got in touch with some of the 1,100+ National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported museums to find out about their most weird, wonderful and significant objects.
News article
Northern Powerhouse celebrates new £3million fund for arts and creative industries
The NCRF was set up by the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport as part of the legacy of the Great Exhibition of the North. Through the NCRF, £3m will now be available to enterprises across the Northern Powerhouse areas of the North of England to apply for repayable finance (loans and
News article
Celebrities and surprises spotted in Painted Hall, Greenwich
The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich reopens on 23 March, thanks to £3.1million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
News article
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery turns back time to original design
At a grand manor house in Ealing, 175 years’ worth of paint layers and unsympathetic renovations have been peeled back to reveal the stunning original design of one of the UK’s most influential architects. Soane’s house of art and entertainment Sir John Soane, architect of buildings including the
Story
'Astronaut wanted': the story of Helen Sharman's unique spacesuit
Helen Sharman was the first Briton in space. But before she could even start her training, she had to have a spacesuit made just for her.
Story
Four artists on how heritage has inspired them
As the Luminary installation opens at the National Lottery-funded Crossness Pumping Station, we spoke to four artists who combine old and new in their work.
Blog
Why communities are essential to sharing the stories of Pride
These significant and inclusive events raise the profile of all sorts of LGBT+ lived experiences, celebrate activism and build stronger alliances. They increasingly involve people of all ages, cultures and faiths in publicly sharing differing identities. Alongside Stonewall’s 50th anniversary this
News article
Million insects saved as part of £8million of National Lottery funding
A million bugs Oxford University Museum of Natural History’s British Insect Collection has over a million specimens from the 18th century to today, including some that are now extinct. Spanning nearly the entire history of British entomology, the collection is vital in understating the extent and
News article
National Lottery funding for three volunteer-led projects in Scotland
Three new projects in Scotland, with volunteering at their heart, have secured significant support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
News article
Blackpool’s first museum leads the way in heritage-led regeneration
A new museum for Blackpool has been awarded a £4million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant as part of a £10m package of grants, giving heritage-led regeneration and tourism a boost across the North.
News article
Launch of £100million Heritage Horizon Awards
The Heritage Horizon Awards will invest £100million over the next three years in ambitious, innovative and transformational projects that will revolutionise UK heritage.
News article
Lansio gwerth £100m o Grantiau Treftadaeth Gorwelion
Bydd Grantiau Treftadaeth Gorwelion yn buddsoddi £100miliwn yn ystod y tair blynedd nesaf mewn prosiectau uchelgeisiol, arloesol a thrawsnewidiol a fydd yn chwyldroi treftadaeth y DU.
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