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.
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
A Sense of the Past: a Social History of Blindness in Northern Ireland
A Sense of the Past researched and recorded the first social history of blindness in Northern Ireland, covering the period from the 1800 to the present day.
Projects
Farndon Fields Palaeolithic Project
FARI archaeology, a constituted community group, applied for this grant to investigate, record, and protect an internationally important Ice Age hunting site.
Projects
Young people shape world stories gallery at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
Young people collaborated with staff at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery to create a new permanent world art gallery.
Projects
Nature and Me
The Nature and Me project aimed to create new education and participation opportunities focused on biodiversity and the natural world.
News
Doors reopen at St Fagans after multimillion-pound redevelopment
Blogs
What heritage means to me: David Anderson
News
National Lottery funding is music to Newport’s ears
News
Learn about Wales’s Italian café culture at St Fagans – and enjoy a drink on us!
News
Double celebration for two North Wales museums thanks to the National Lottery
News
Mining Institute hits gold
News
Wales’s most popular heritage attraction turns 70
News