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.

First World War soldiers in uniform
First World War soldiers in uniform. Photo: Tynemouth World War One Commemoration Project.

Projects

Tynemouth World War One Commemoration Project

Volunteers and local residents have gathered information on 1,700 local men from Tynemouth, all of whom died in the First World War.

A black and white image of K K McArthur with the trophy
K K McArthur holding a trophy following his marathon victory at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm

Projects

K K McArthur Centenary 1912-2012

100 years on, Ballymoney celebrated the Olympic marathon victory of one of its most famous sporting sons with an exhibition, public performances and workshops.

black speech mark icons, representing oral history

Projects

Bournemouth in Wartime Exhibition

This project, led by Bournemouth Natural Science Society, created a temporary exhibition as part of Local History month to commemorate Bournemouth's role in the Second World War.

Information Age gallery, Science Museum
Information Age gallery at the Science Museum

Projects

Information Age, Science Museum

The Information Age gallery at the Science Museum is the first permanent gallery in the UK dedicated to the history of information and communication technologies.

Outside view of Kettle's Yard

Projects

Completing Kettle's Yard

An HLF grant enabled Kettle’s Yard to create greater public access and improve the care of the collection.

Outside view of Ditchling Museum

Projects

Ditchling Museum Development Project

The Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft used the Heritage Grants programme to fund a project to revamp its collections and premises.

A woman in period costume

Projects

Dickens Community Archive

The Portsmouth Museums and Records Service encouraged local community groups to explore their family, community and local history.

Visitors exploring Bethlem Museum
Visitors exploring Bethlem Museum

Projects

Bethlem's Museum of the Mind

This three-year project was designed to re-house the museum and archive, increasing public access to the history of mental illness.

An image icon showing a simple outline of a vase museum object

Projects

Peterborough Museum Re-Development

The aim of this project was to refurbish and enhance the Grade II listed building of Peterborough Museum and redisplay a number of galleries.

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