Museums, libraries and archives

Museums, libraries and archives tell the stories of our cultural heritage.

Through objects, collections, film, documents and oral histories they help to give us a sense of place and identity.

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.

We provide grants for heritage projects from £10,000–£10million to ensure that heritage is valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

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:

create exciting new exhibition and learning spaces
attract more diverse audiences
interpret and open up acquisitions
develop collections

For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.

How to get funding

Our National Lottery Heritage Grants programme is open for applications.

Find out more and apply

A visitor listens through an exhibition headset in front of a display of information about faith

The Faith Museum, Bishop Auckland.

Projects

Restoring and reinterpreting Auckland Castle

This bold heritage-led regeneration project aims to create inspiring experiences and learnings on faith for visitors to County Durham.

23/04/2013

A group of children and adults sit and stand as they pose for a photo while cutting a ribbon.

Local children joined National Galleries of Scotland for the opening of the new Scottish galleries at the National. Credit Neil Hanna

Projects

Celebrating Scotland’s Art: The Scottish National Gallery Project

10 accessible gallery spaces boasting the work of pioneering Scottish artists have transformed visitors’ experience of the national collection.

24/03/2015

The museum gallery at Land of Iron with archive objects on display

The new permanent gallery at the museum Photo: Land of Iron.

Projects

Land of Iron: celebrating the legacy of the UK's ironstone mining heritage

The Room to Grow project has transformed the former Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum into a new and engaging space for all.

10/03/2016

An aerial view of St. Conan's Kirk in Scotland.

St. Conan's Kirk, Argyll, Scotland Photo: Andrew Prins

News

£12.2million investment to help save UK’s historic buildings

From the only thatched ice house of its kind to the oldest picture house in Northern Ireland, we have awarded 12 heritage buildings life-saving support.

26/09/2023

Person taking a picture of the South African flag on a phone camera at The Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory and Learning event

People at a community event discussing The Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory and Learning. Courtesy of The Liliesleaf Trust UK.

Projects

The UK’s first centre dedicated to anti-apartheid heritage

This project will restore the former headquarters of the African National Congress at 28 Penton Street, London, creating a new centre to share the stories of South Africa's liberation.

30/11/2021

Photograph of a portrait in a museum setting

The portrait was painted by the Dutch artist Joep Nicolas in 1929. Photo: Nottingham City Council

Projects

Unveiling Literary Treasures: D H Lawrence Portrait Finds Home in Nottingham City Museums

The acquisition of a portrait of writer D H Lawrence celebrates Nottingham’s UNESCO City of Literature and opens up new avenues for engaging with diverse communities.

23/03/2022

Alison Kay, National Railway Museum’s Archives Manager and Ashlynn Welburn, Oral History Project Archivist at Eurostar. Photo: JK Doran

Projects

People, Pride and Progress: recording the histories of LGBTQ+ railway workers

Through the collection of real-life stories, this project aims to spotlight the LGBTQ+ community’s contribution to the railways for the first time.

11/04/2023

The Gurkha Museum is supported by a thriving community of current and former Gurkhas

Stories

Battlefield bonds: sharing the heritage of Nepal and the UK’s military partnership

The Gurkha Museum's redevelopment project will celebrate the unique relationship between Nepal, the British Army and the UK.

Image showing the Clock Tower at the Horniman

Clock Tower at the Horniman. Credit: Horniman Museum and Gardens / Andrew Lee

Projects

Horniman gets the green light for transformational nature project

Described as a once-in-a-generation project, the Natural History Gallery and gardens will be redeveloped into a new and engaging space for all.

30/11/2021

Digital recreation of interactive museum interior

Life on the Edge Gallery (Metaphor Design) Herefordshire Council

Projects

Hereford Museum and Art Gallery revamp receives £5m National Lottery funding boost

Herefordshire Council has been awarded a £5million grant to redevelop the Grade II listed Hereford Museum and Art Gallery.

16/03/2022

A black and white photograph of four nurses in uniform.

A photograph from the archives. Photo: NHS at 70

Stories

Three projects that celebrate 75 years of the NHS

From oral histories to archive collections, we’ve awarded over £980,000 to three projects that record and preserve memories of our National Health Service (NHS), for use now and in the future.

Photograph of various items in a wooden box

Items from the Medical Museum collection. Photo: Dawn Jutton

Projects

Medical Museum protects collections and engages local community

The Medical Museum project has revitalised access and engagement with a collection of medical artefacts through exhibitions, workshops, an online archive and personal stories.

23/02/2021

Museums, libraries and archives

Museums, libraries and archives

What do we support?

Project ideas

How to get funding

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