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
The William Morris Gallery Development Project
The 18th-century, Grade II* listed building has been completely refurbished, revealing many of the original Georgian features for the first time.
Projects
Restoration Bonded Stores
After closing its doors to the public and putting its collection into storage, funding from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Welsh Government enabled the trust to restore this historic building.
Projects
Redeveloping the site at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth
Funding was awarded to improve the visitor facilities and storage conditions at Fort Nelson, a 19-acre Victorian gun fort, overlooking Portsmouth Harbour.
Projects
Rock Band: the UK's geological heritage
Five museums and heritage organisations in the south east of England found new ways to engage audiences with their geological collections.
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