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
Frank went to the Front
Supplies of Horlicks to the troops and the evocative paintings of war artist Paul Nash were just two of the discoveries in this First World War centenary project.
Projects
From Russia with Love: The Return of the Houghton Masters
From Russia with Love was a learning programme about the Walpole Collection of masterpiece paintings at Houghton Hall, based on the highly successful exhibition, Houghton Revisited.
Projects
Back to School: Lessons to Learn
The Scottish Council on Deafness (SCOD) created a series of workshops on the educational experiences of older D/deaf people.
Projects
Cotton Threads: Bury's Industrial Links to Slavery
A local museum and archive worked together to reach wider audiences by developing an exhibition exploring the transatlantic slave trade through the papers of a Victorian cotton spinner.
Projects
Write Here, Write Now', Birmingham
The Birmingham Pen Museum has been expanded, with a new activity space to help bring its unique heritage to life for future generations.
Projects
Last Post: Remembering The First World War
This project focused on increasing access to First World War archival material held in The British Postal Museum and Archive.
Projects
Armagh Observatory - Telescopes and Domes
Armagh Observatory is the oldest working observatory in the UK, it houses a unique collection of historic instruments and archives.
Projects
Huntingdonshire’s Heritage: The Norris Museum development project
The Norris Museum, home to a treasured collection of artefacts relating to the history of Huntingdonshire, has been restored.
Projects
Bristol Aerospace Centre
Providing a rare insight into the history of British aviation at Filton, the Bristol Aerospace Centre project tells the story of one of the birthplaces of aviation in Britain.
Projects
Aspire (Constable 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows')
Our grant helped secure John Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows for the nation.
Projects
Dylan Thomas Exhibition
The City and County of Swansea (CCS) celebrate the centenary of Dylan Thomas’ birth through the redevelopment of the Dylan Thomas Centre.
Projects
Lindisfarne Gospels Durham, 2013 and beyond
This project was to host the Lindisfarne Gospels and St Cuthbert Gospel at Palace Green Library in Durham.