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. 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.

Children on balcony of wooden playhouse

Projects

Childhood at Osborne

Families are now able to step back into the world of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s children at Osborne on the Isle of Wight.

Volunteer at the Hands on Here exhibition at York Castle Museum
Volunteer at the Hands on Here exhibition at York Castle Museum

Projects

Marking the First World War Centenary at York Castle Museum

The York Museums and Gallery Trust transformed the upper floors of a Grade I listed prison building into exhibition space and introduced an ambitious four year programme about the First World War.

The Staffordshire Hoard Gallery with objects on display in glass cases
Inside the Staffordshire Hoard Gallery

Projects

The Staffordshire Hoard Gallery

Public interest in the Staffordshire Hoard has been unprecedented. A temporary display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery attracted more than half a million visitors in 12 months.

Children viewing First World War objects at a Green Howards Museum outreach event
Children viewing First World War objects at a Green Howards Museum outreach event

Projects

Redeveloping the Green Howards Museum

The Green Howards Regimental museum received almost £1million to redevelop its galleries and put on a series of family activities.

A group of people standing outside the V&A Dundee building

Projects

V&A at Dundee

From the architecture of Robert Adam to the fashion of Bill Gibb, Scotland has an outstanding creative heritage stretching back centuries in studio, industrial and technological design.

A man teaches a young woman
A volunteer helps a young person learn engineering skills

Projects

Blyth's Ship Building Heritage

In just four years, Blyth Tall Ship grew from a germ of an idea and a patch of derelict quayside land, to an inspiring start-up business supporting boatbuilding skills.

A group of project participants with banners
A group of project participants with banners

Projects

Egham Museum Magna Carta 800 Project

Celebrating the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta, this project delivered a programme of activities and events with the local community.

One of the rarest coins from the hoard
A coin from the hoard

Projects

Roman Sussex: saving a remarkable treasure

Brighton’s Royal Pavilion and Museums used HLF funding to save a rare treasure hoard, building a valuable network for local museums in the process.

Young participants at the Renaissance Globe Project

Projects

The Renaissance Globe Project

The Museum of the History of Science in Oxford illuminated the astonishing history of globe-making for thousands of children and families.

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