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 £2.2bn to more than 5,000 museum, library, archive and collection-based projects 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
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We have halted all new grants until at least October 2020. Organisations in need can apply for our £50m Heritage Emergency Fund. Find out more and apply.
South Asian Heritage Month: truth-telling and transformation
As South Asian Heritage Month ends, it’s a good time to look at how more UK museums are considering ways of deepening engagement with South Asian communities and heritage.
Making heritage websites accessible to all
When producing our new guide to online accessibility, Alistair McNaught’s research identified how heritage organisations can make their online content open to all. He tells us more.
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft: adapting in difficult times
Now open again, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft discovered new ways to engage communities and increase resilience during lockdown.
Partners and pioneers – building back after the pandemic
Town centres are struggling – after the pandemic, innovative partnerships and investment in heritage can help them flourish again.
When the museums open up again
As heritage attractions are given the go-ahead to reopen, we spoke to six museums, which, thanks to National Lottery players, have been helped by our £50m Heritage Emergency Fund.
Six projects chosen for Sustainable Project of the Year
Six heritage projects across the UK have been shortlisted for The National Lottery Heritage Fund's inaugural Museums + Heritage Sustainable Project of the Year Award.
Rejecting nostalgia for positive change
It’s fascinating that one of the TV programmes that has had the largest increases in viewers during lockdown is BBC One’s The Repair Shop.
Independent museums can shine a light after the darkness
Second in our new Future Heritage blog series – imagining the heritage sector after coronavirus (COVID-19) – Nat Edwards suggests ways museums could work together, better.
International Women’s Day: Giving young women a voice in heritage
To celebrate International Women’s Day, two young women making their mark in heritage describe their experiences of a project at the Ulster Museum.
Places and poems for valentines
We share three historic sites loved by some of the UK’s most romantic poets this Valentine's Day.
And the winner is... we celebrate awards season
As we launch a new sustainability award, we take a look back at just a few of our award-winning heritage projects. Red carpets at the ready...
Turner painting of Malmesbury Abbey saved for the nation
A watercolour of Malmesbury Abbey by J M W Turner has been acquired by Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury, thanks to National Lottery players.