Museums, libraries and archives

Through preservation, exhibition and community engagement, they can bring collections, places and ideas to life. They help us to understand culture, science and history, and give us a sense of place, identity and community.
Thanks to National Lottery players, since 1994 we have awarded £2.5billion to 6,000 museum, library, archive and collection-based projects across the UK. See stories from projects we've funded below.
What do we support?
We provide grants for heritage projects from £10,000–£10million for projects led by or featuring museums, libraries and archives.
Our funding supports institutions large and small, including:
- national, local authority and independent museums, libraries and archives
- historic libraries
- community archives and oral history collections
- institutions with heritage collections
Project ideas
Our funding could help people:
- create exciting new exhibition and learning spaces
- attract new and more diverse audiences
- acquire new items and develop collections
- improve organisational resilience
For more inspiration, see the stories below, browse projects we've funded, or explore our recent Dynamic Collections campaign.
How to get funding
Our National Lottery Heritage Grants programme is open for applications.

Blogs
Rejecting nostalgia for positive change

Blogs
Independent museums can shine a light after the darkness

Blogs
Reimagine, Remake, Replay: giving young women a voice in heritage

Stories
Places and poems for valentines

Stories
And the winner is... we celebrate awards season

News
Turner painting of Malmesbury Abbey saved for the nation

News
Public help solve mystery of 2000-year-old warrior

Programme
Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage – Emergency Resource Support

Stories
25 years: astronaut Tim Peake celebrates National Lottery funding for world of science

Stories
25 years: The Silverstone Experience says #ThanksToYou!

Stories
Free offers across the UK for National Lottery players

News