Museums, libraries and archives

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

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 £2.6billion to more than 6,100 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.

Find out more and apply

A young person holds their artwork as part of the exhibition.

Artwork was created using recycled materials for the Greener Glass exhibition. Credit: Stourbridge Glass Museum.

Stories

Case study: Stourbridge Glass Museum’s award-winning environmentally friendly approach

The joint winner of our Sustainable Project of the Year prize at the Museums + Heritage Awards 2025 shares tips for reducing carbon emissions in museums.

Two people bending down to look at a museum display about Duleep Singh

Visitors viewing the museum's new displays on Duleep Singh and his family. Credit: Norfolk Museums Service (Ancient House).

Stories

Celebrating a Norfolk museum’s Punjabi roots

Through community consultation and academic partnerships Thetford’s Ancient House is digging deeper into the history of its founding family.

Architectural drawing of a stone and timber clad building showing how the historic stableblock will look when developed into The Gardeners' House

Architectural drawing of The Gardeners' House. Credit: The Gardeners' House.

Projects

The Gardeners' House: connecting people with nature

A new green community heritage hub has opened in Penzance, housing 200 years of Cornwall’s natural heritage and a sensory garden.

30/11/2021

A man and a woman push a child in a buggy as they take a closer look at a pioneering film camera from the early days of the technology. A black and white film of the era is projected on the wall to their left.

The new spaces have been designed with visitors of all ages and needs in mind. Photo: Jason Lock.

News

Putting inclusion, access and participation at the heart of the National Science and Media Museum

The museum’s new Sound and Vision galleries tell the story of how photography, film, television and sound technologies shape our past, present and future.

10/07/2025

A small train billowing steam in the yard of the museum buildings

The yard at Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru. Credit: Amgueddfa Cymru.

Projects

Unlocking the living gateway to Wales' slate story

08/07/2025

Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru, The National Slate Museum, in Llanberis is being transformed through a £12million grant, securing its future at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage slate landscape.

27/03/2024

Self portrait by William Dobson, c. 1635-1640

William Dobson, Self-Portrait c. 1635-40. Image courtesy of Tate and the National Portrait Gallery.

Projects

Rare self-portrait by William Dobson saved for the UK

02/06/2025

With our support, Tate and the National Portrait Gallery have jointly acquired the earliest known work of one of the first great British painters.

03/12/2024

Joint winners of Sustainable Project of the Year, Stourbridge Glass Museum Eco-friendly Upcycled Glass Exhibition in New Eco Museum. Credit: Hayley Bray.

News

Winners announced for Sustainable Project of the Year 2025

Railworld Wildlife Haven and Stourbridge Glass Museum have been crowned the winners of the sustainability award.

16/05/2025

A large group of young people cheering outdoors

Participants in the New to Nature programme including future Game Changer, Lisa Manning.

News

Meet the future game changers of heritage

The next phase of The National Lottery’s Game Changer campaign highlights the incredible impact of young adults across the UK.

13/05/2025

Four children, dressed in WW2 attire and holding union flags, stand in front of a Spitfire at the RAF Museum Midlands.

Young visitors mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day during a visit to RAF Museum Midlands. Photo: Chris Gorman.

Projects

Ready for take off: the future of the Royal Air Force Museum

08/05/2025

An ambitious project is underway to expand and redefine one of the UK’s biggest military museums.

23/11/2022

A visualisation of the future Royal Marines Experience shows a group of visitors enjoying a ride that recreates the experience of being aboard a high-speed inflatable rig.

The new experience will bring to life centuries of Royal Marines history for visitors of all ages. Credit: Museum of the Royal Navy.

Projects

Creating a new home for Royal Marines heritage

08/05/2025

Thanks to National Lottery players, Portsmouth’s historic Boathouse 6 will be reimagined as the first purpose-built home for a nationally important military collection.

18/06/2024

A black and white photograph showing RAF staff celebrating in an office, throwing their arms and papers in the air.

Orderly room staff at RAF Andover celebrate victory in Europe, May 1945. Credit: RAF Museum Collection.

News

Royal Air Force and Royal Marines heritage to benefit from £13.7million investment

On the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, we’re celebrating two grants that will transform how these nationally important military history collections are shared with future generations.

08/05/2025