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 £2.5billion 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.

Find out more and apply

Visitors taste food made with ingredients found in hedgerows at The Food Museum

Visitors take part in food recipe demonstrations, tasting ingredients found in hedgerows. Credit: The Food Museum

Stories

Case study: The Food Museum – Hedgerow

Sustainable Project of the Year joint winner, The Food Museum shares their experience of running a project that tackles one of our greatest environmental challenges – biodiversity loss.

A colourful banner commemorating the landing of the Empire Windrush, saying 'Docked here at Tilbury, June 22nd 1948'

Commemorative banner at Tilbury

News

Six projects celebrating the legacy of the Windrush generation

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush landing in the UK, we spotlight some of the projects celebrating and saving the heritage of those who emigrated here.

22/06/2023

A close up of a person conserving a painting on display in the National Portrait Gallery

A conservator works on a painting ready for the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery. Credit: David Parry

News

What can you see when the National Portrait Gallery reopens?

Following a transformational project, supported by a £9.4million National Lottery grant, the National Portrait Gallery in London has reopened its doors.

15/06/2023

Conservators from the National Museum of the Royal Navy with the polar Kellett sledge flag Credit: National Museum of the Royal Navy

News

Rare polar sledge flag used in search for Franklin’s doomed expedition saved for the UK

The National Museum of the Royal Navy's campaign to save a rare polar expedition sledge flag has been successful, thanks to National Lottery funding.

22/05/2023

The inside of the new gallery at Brampton Museum with artwork displayed on the walls

Credit: The Brampton Museum

Projects

Brampton is Growing: environmentally sustainable museum redevelopment

An inspiring eco refurbishment project transformed The Brampton Museum, adapting to the climate crisis and increasing its capacity to welcome more people to the museum.

03/03/2020

Awards lined up at the Museums + Heritage Awards ceremony

News

The Food Museum and SS Great Britain Trust win Sustainable Project of the Year

Joint winners are celebrated for their outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability at this year’s Museums + Heritage Awards.

11/05/2023

An arial view of Crystal Palace Park, including the dinosaurs

Crystal Palace Park Photo: Chris Gorman.

News

More than £24million awarded to heritage projects across the UK

From John O’Groats to Penzance, across Wales and Northern Ireland, we’re supporting the protection and conservation of parks, built heritage, memories and more.

28/03/2023

The inside of the PItt Rivers Museum, a large open indoor space with exhibition cases

The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

Blogs

Final weeks to apply for Dynamic Collections grants

Our lead on museums, libraries and archives reflects on our Dynamic Collections campaign as it comes to an end, and our long-term commitment to supporting heritage collections.

17/03/2023

Four young people chatting and looking at a display of a small historical model settlement

Curating for Change Fellows at the Museum of London. Credit: Museum of London

Stories

How to make recruitment fair and open to all

Curating for Change – the National Lottery-funded work placement programme for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent curators in museums – is challenging the heritage sector to consider equitable recruitment.

Tickets to the Museums + Heritage awards ceremony

News

Shortlist announced for Sustainable Project of the Year

Six projects have been shortlisted for the Museums + Heritage award, which recognises outstanding environmentally sustainable projects or exhibitions.

09/03/2023

Black and white studio photo from 1923 of three women posing in a 'frieze'

Frieze, 1923

News

Pioneering portrait photographer Dorothy Wilding celebrated in new exhibition

Works by the photographer – who took the iconic portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth II featured on UK stamps – go on show in Gloucester thanks to National Lottery funding.

08/03/2023