Museums, libraries and archives

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.

Hub
Dynamic Collections

Videos
Dynamic Collections: a visit to Craven Museum

Projects
Voices Through Time: The Story of Care
Hundreds of volunteers are helping children’s charity Coram digitise and share its historic archive online.

Projects
Touching stitches: embroidery access for the blind
This innovative project explored ways to enable blind and partially sighted people to access the Edinburgh College of Art’s historic textile collection, which spans over three centuries.

Projects
Rare self-portrait by William Dobson saved for the UK
With our support, Tate and the National Portrait Gallery have jointly acquired the earliest known work of one of the first great British painters.

News
Winners announced for Sustainable Project of the Year 2025

News
Meet the future game changers of heritage

Projects
Ready for take off: the future of the Royal Air Force Museum
An ambitious project is underway to expand and redefine one of the UK’s biggest military museums.

Projects
Creating a new home for Royal Marines heritage
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.

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

News
Museum collections will tour the UK in 40 unique exhibitions

Projects
Art Fund: Going Places
A new UK-wide programme to engage and involve audiences in museum collections through collaborative touring exhibitions and public programmes.

Projects
Launching a new era for Discovery in Dundee
In 1901, RRS Discovery carried Scott of the Antarctic toward the South Pole. Today, transformative redevelopment plans will open up new frontiers for visitors to its Tayside home.

Stories
Six tips for making heritage autism-friendly

Stories
Reconnecting Scotland with its national collection

News