Museums, libraries and archives
![Black Cultural Archives. Credit: Kois Miah A person handles large parchment documents in an archive room, with shelves of archive boxes in the background](/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_desktop/public/media/imgs/Raleigh%20Hall%20development%20for%20Black%20Cultural%20Archives%20-%20Black%20Cultural%20Archives%202%20copy.jpg.webp?itok=dKXj4Ndc)
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.
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.
![Bolton-on-Swale St. Mary’s Primary Church of England School children, unearthing the past Bolton-on-Swale St. Mary’s Primary Church of England School children, unearthing the past](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/projects/chartingchipelingchildrendigging.jpg.webp?itok=tGo2i_2s)
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Local schools preliminary Charting Chipeling dig
Children, aged 4–11, came from Bolton-on-Swale St. Mary’s Primary Church of England School, Brompton-on-Swale Church of England and North and South Cowton Community Primary schools to dig in the grounds of the Jacobean Hall with local Archaeologist, Jim Brightman, of Solstice Heritage. Mr Brightman
![16 to 60: A Woman's Voice - Young Roots project to discover the histroy of Pakistani, Bengali and Somali communities in Cardiff 16 to 60: A Woman's Voice - Young Roots project to discover the histroy of Pakistani, Bengali and Somali communities in Cardiff](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/16to60_wales.jpg.webp?itok=74BCOwBa)
16 to 60: A Woman's Voice - Young Roots project to discover the histroy of Pakistani, Bengali and Somali communities in Cardiff
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Young Roots offering up to £50,000 for Welsh heritage projects
Young people can get as creative as they like in interpreting what heritage means to them - previous projects have organised masquerade balls, photography exhibitions, fashion shows and even a circus performance. 11-25 year olds wanting to apply should come up with a creative idea and join up with a
![Members of the 3rd West Riding Field Ambulance before being deployed to France Members of the 3rd West Riding Field Ambulance before being deployed to France](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/projects/joeclarkstory_jpg.jpg.webp?itok=YkssLvZZ)
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Sheffield cares for the wounded
The fascinating exhibition, which opens its doors to the public on Thursday 26 June 2014, will highlight the awe-inspiring work of the 3rd West Riding Field Ambulance on the Western Front in France and Flanders during the most horrific war the world has ever experienced. The inspirational stories of
![Restoring the bells at St James the Great church in Barrow Restoring the bells at St James the Great church in Barrow](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/stjamesbellsbarrow.jpg.webp?itok=QYdoWTJf)
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Love Barrow, Love Heritage
Over the past 20 years, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has invested £8m into conserving Barrow’s heritage and helping local people explore their past. Sara Hilton, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “Barrow-in-Furness is packed to the rafters with some wonderful heritage. From
![Beamish Museum celebrating thanks to major HLF grant Beamish Museum celebrating thanks to major HLF grant](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/beamishmuseum.jpg.webp?itok=rIpCD9A6)
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Beamish Museum looking forward to the 1950s
Over the next five years the popular Living Museum that tells the story of everyday working life will be transformed, creating new ways for people to enjoy the heritage of the North East. The centrepiece will be a ‘new’ 1950s Town and Farm, filled with objects and buildings donated by local people
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Canterbury Cathedral celebrates!
Today, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced earmarked funding worth £72million for six major sites in England: Canterbury Cathedral, Mother Church of the Anglican Communion and a World Heritage Site Nottingham Castle, backdrop to some of England’s most powerful folk stories Bath Abbey, one
![The current Plymouth Museum building on North Hill The current Plymouth Museum building on North Hill](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/museumplymouth.jpg.webp?itok=eIFpWxCy)
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£12.8m to bring Plymouth's legends to life at major new attraction
Plymouth is celebrating a truly historic moment after scooping earmarked funding of £12.8million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to create a major new historic and cultural attraction at the very heart of the city. The HLF today announced the results of its major grants (applications of £5m and
![Children examine an exhibit at the National Army Museum Children examine an exhibit at the National Army Museum](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/nationalarmymuseum.jpg.webp?itok=gW1H0Abe)
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£11.5m grant for National Army Museum expansion
The grant will help fund the museum’s ambitious Building for the Future project - a radical transformation of its offer, set to deliver new opportunities for accessing the Museum and its Collection.After receiving initial HLF support for the project in 2012, NAM, based in Chelsea, London, has been
![School archive session from Hidden Art in Barnsley School archive session from Hidden Art in Barnsley](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/hiddenartofbarnsley.jpg.webp?itok=I-HL8nfT)
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Uncover the hidden art of Barnsley
In 2012, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) granted the voluntary group Barnsley Art on Your Doorstep (BAYD) £50,000 for a two year learning programme culminating in this exhibition. Support from Barnsley Arts, Museums and Archives Service and Barnsley Adult and Family Learning Service has also helped
![The Adoration of the Magi at St Peter's Church, Great Totham The Adoration of the Magi at St Peter's Church, Great Totham](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/greattothamadoration.jpg.webp?itok=StKoGXjm)
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St Peter's Church, Great Totham, wins Lottery funding
Both the oil paintings have been in St Peter’s since at least 1831, but one of them – a painting of the church itself, dating from 1821 – has not been seen for many years. Until last year it was hidden behind a cupboard in the vestry, where it had suffered badly from damp and dirt. It shows the
![Selby High School Gardening and Cooking Club Selby High School Gardening and Cooking Club](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/notjustpuddings.jpg.webp?itok=K_g2bnAh)
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'Not Just Puddings and Parkin' at Selby High School
Students from the Let’s Get Cooking and Growing Club will investigate traditional Yorkshire food heritage and look at Yorkshire farming, fishing, food production and preservation methods. They will research and recreate traditional Yorkshire dishes using time honoured recipes and cooking techniques
![Empress dancing at the iconic Empress Ballroom Empress dancing at the iconic Empress Ballroom](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/blackpoolmuseum.jpg.webp?itok=RxOnkKOj)
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Blackpool moves one step closer to £20million museum dream
Together with funding from Blackpool Council and volunteer support this creates a £1.6m pot for the development stage of the project. The Blackpool Museum, planned for the Winter Gardens building, will tell the extraordinary story of the world's first working-class seaside resort, celebrating its