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 £2.4billion to 5,900 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.
Projects
Hidden voices: uncovering Reading's LGBT heritage
The project explored the heritage of Reading's LGBT community and created an archive of historic and recent stories to preserve them for future generations.
Projects
Personal experiences of volunteer nursing during the First World War
A nurse's wartime scrapbook has inspired this project to commemorate the valiant efforts of medical staff during the First World War.
Projects
Proud to be Derbyshire – A pictorial history celebrating the heritage of Derbyshire CCC
The Cricket Derbyshire Foundation created a visual archive to promote the heritage of cricket across Derbyshire.
Projects
Ashmolean Plan
A new extension was added to the museum’s Grade I-listed Cockerell building, providing conservation and teaching facilities, and expanding education and outreach services.
Projects
Woking Museum Arts & Crafts Centre
Woking Museum Arts and Craft Centre, now known as The Lightbox, was conceived by a local community group in 1993 to establish a museum of Woking’s local and social history.
Projects
New Shetland Museum & Archives
Part of Lerwick’s original waterfront was transformed into an environmentally-conscious heritage attraction using sustainable materials and traditional craftsmanship.
Projects
Kelvingrove New Century Project
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has undergone major refurbishment to relaunch the site as a world-class facility.
Projects
New Devon Record Office
The Devon Record Office holds judicial, administrative and ecclesiastical records from 11th century to the 20th century.
Projects
Working The War
A group of young people researched the personal stories of families who worked in the local torpedo factory during the First World War.
Projects
Bradford film history and heritage uncovered and explained
A group of young people from a local school worked with Bradford UNESCO City of Film (BUCF) to plan and deliver a heritage project alongside Bradford Industrial Museum, National Media Museum and Yorkshire Film Archive.
Projects
Battle of Waterloo Bicentenary Exhibition
The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo gave the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum the opportunity to rejuvenate their collection.
Projects
VAD indexes online: personnel records of First World War volunteers
This project created an online database of records held by the British Red Cross on volunteers during the First World War.