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Museums, libraries and archives

Museums, libraries and archives

A person handles large parchment documents in an archive room, with shelves of archive boxes in the background
Black Cultural Archives. Credit: Kois Miah
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 £2.4billion to 5,900 museum, library, archive and collection-based projects across the UK.

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
Leaders of the project pose for a group photo
From left to right: Scott Cuthbertson, Director of The Rainbow Project, Mukesh Sharma, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland NI Committee Chair, Cara McCann, Director of HERe NI and Adam Murray, Community Development Manager at Cara-Friend.

Projects

Creating Northern Ireland’s LGBTQ+ heritage archive

A collaborative effort will record and share Northern Ireland’s modern LGBTQ+ history.

Groups of people looking at exhibits in a maritime museum

Publications

Interpretation good practice guidance

Interpretation is the way we communicate stories and ideas about heritage to different audiences. It plays a critical role in helping visitors engage with our heritage – intellectually and emotionally.
The interior of the Great Hall at Rochdale Town Hall, with decorative ceiling panels and gold angel statues held by wooden beams.
The Great Hall, Rochdale Town Hall.

Projects

Rochdale Town Hall restored to its former glory

This project has improved the condition of one of the UK’s finest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, and opened up spaces to the public for the first time.

A black and white group photo of about 30 people. The front row of people are using wheelchairs, with others standing on steps behind them.
A 1991 group photo of disability arts practitioners. David Hevey is standing fifth from the right in the second row.

Blogs

Sharing radical heritage demands a radical approach

Shape Arts’ passionate director, David Hevey, is taking a disruptive, digital approach to sharing disabled people’s voices with the world.
A photo taken through a keyhole of a prisoner in a cell, wearing striped black and white clothing.
The museum offers insight into the experiences of prisoners from Victorian times to the modern day. Photo: West Midlands Police Museum.

Projects

The Lock-Up: Unlocking History at West Midlands Police Museum

Our funding has enabled the museum to move into a Victorian custody block, the last of its kind in the country.

The ship SS Great Britain in its dry dock
SS Great Britain Trust jointly won the sustainability award in 2023.

News

Could you be Sustainable Project of the Year 2024?

The sustainability category in the Museums + Heritage Awards is a great opportunity to showcase your approach to managing or communicating the impact of the climate crisis.

If you query is regarding our application portal, please contact our support team.