DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2025-27: Guidance note for applicants
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-04)

The purpose of these guidance notes is to provide eligible museums and galleries with the information required in order to submit a bid.

Introduction

The purpose of these guidance notes is to provide eligible museums and galleries with the information required in order to submit a bid for the 2025-27 round of the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. The Fund supports capital projects (capital expenditure only) aimed at improving the display, care and accessibility of significant collections across England.

Please note that any funding awarded will only be made available to claim from April 2026 to March 2027.

You are advised to consider carefully whether your project schedule would allow you to make a claim within this fixed timeframe. If successful, you will be offered a maximum of four opportunities throughout Financial Year 2026-27 in which to submit claims and invoices for reimbursement.

Eligibility

The Fund is open to bids from accredited museums, museum services and galleries in England falling into one of the following categories:
- Museums/museums services and universities with at least one Designated collection;
- Current Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs).
Bid Criteria

Bids submitted for consideration must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Material improvements to the display and interpretation of collections, in permanent galleries, exhibition spaces and public spaces, to enhance visitor experience.

Improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities, children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences.

Improvements to environmental controls, collections storage and conservation facilities to enhance the care of collections.

Please bear in mind that funding should not be sought to cover the basic maintenance of existing facilities, such as routine repairs and cleaning, but rather for projects that improve the physical infrastructure of the institution concerned to enhance the display, care and accessibility of significant collections.

All projects are expected to be environmentally sustainable and to have environmental considerations embedded in their planning.

Terms and Conditions of the Fund

The following conditions apply to all applicants:
- Only one capital project bid per museum, gallery, museums service or university museum will be considered.
- Bids from museums with Designated collections need not be restricted to (i) the Designated element of the collection, or (ii) within a museum group, to the museum with the Designated collection,
- Funding sought must be between £20,000 and £400,000.
- Funding sought must not exceed 85% of total eligible costs (see below for the list of costs that cannot be met through the fund).
- Awards are not made retrospectively and funding awarded will only be made available to claim from April 2026 to March 2027 – i.e. works met by the funding request made in the bid must not take place before 1 April 2026.
- Museums cannot normally apply for works already in receipt of grants funded by either of the partners (HMG and the Wolfson Foundation).
- Applicants should either own the building where the project is taking place or have a secure, long-term registered lease of at least 10 years, without a break clause, at the time an application is made.
- Bids will not be considered for projects related to shops, cafes or other similar commercial spaces.
Funding sought must not include the following ineligible costs:
- Professional fees, consultancy, and internal staff costs (including, but not restricted to, the costs of design, preliminaries, tendering, obtaining consents, project management, construction management, and quantity surveyors);
- Transit costs (e.g. carriage and delivery);
- VAT;
- Contingencies;
- Travel and subsistence;
- Maintenance;
- Marketing and publicity;
- Health and Safety systems.
Assessment of bids

An assessment panel consisting of representatives from DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation, as well as expert external assessors, will convene in February 2026.

The Panel will assess eligible bids against the core criteria set out under ‘Bid criteria’ above. The principal assessment criteria will be how well the proposed projects support the fund’s central aim: to improve the display, care and accessibility of significant collections across England.

In assessing bids, the Panel will also take into consideration:
- the effect the project will have on the financial sustainability of the museum (including increased projected visitor numbers)
- the role played by the institution in the local community
- Previous support through the fund, with applicants and/or sites that have not been awarded grants previously considered a higher priority for funding. Applicants or sites that were awarded grants in the last round of the fund (2022-24) will be considered a lower priority for funding.
- the geographic dispersal of museum sites supported
- the relative deprivation of the area where the museum is located, based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and Community Needs Index (CNI).
During the assessment process you may be asked to supply further information or respond to queries that have been raised.

Indicative timetable

Bid Pro Forma

All bids must be submitted on the standard pro forma. The following guidance is provided to assist you in completing the bid pro forma:

Bid summary
- Project title: This section should give the name of the project for which you are applying to the Fund.
- Funding request: As detailed in the Terms and Conditions section, funding sought must not include prohibited costs. It must be between £20,000 and £400,000 and must not exceed 85% of the total eligible project costs, where the total project cost does not include prohibited costs.
- Primary Contact: The primary contact for the bid will be asked to respond to any queries during the assessment process. If the application for funding is successful, they will be responsible for ongoing reporting on the progress of the project and are also normally the person to collate and submit documents for claiming the grant.
Section 1: About the applicant
- Museum Profile: A short introduction to the organisation and its work, and the museum at which the project is located, with specific reference to your audience profile and how you engage with local communities (max 250 words).
- Visitor numbers: Provide annual visitor numbers for the museum at which the project is located for the last three financial years. There is space to provide further explanatory details on the data provided, if needed.
- Head of Organisation: Give the name and role of the head of the museum or gallery, and the date they started their role. If the head is due to leave the organisation before the completion of the project, this should be indicated alongside details of their successor (if known).
Section 2: About the project
- Project Title: The name of the project for which you are applying (max 15 words).
- Project description: Summarise the capital works involved in the project (max 50 words).
- Project overview: Provide more detail on the scope of the capital project and the improvements it will deliver. You should clearly address how the project will fulfil the fund criteria identified above. Where funding is sought for an element or phase of a larger project or long-term development plan, please explain how this element sits strategically within said project or plan and the precise elements towards which a DCMS/Wolfson Fund grant would go (max 500 words).
- The need for the project: Detail any evidence of the need for the improvements (e.g. from visitor surveys or other research) (max 250 words).
- Collection(s) that will benefit from the project: Provide brief information on the collections that will benefit directly from the proposed project and their significance in a regional/national/international context, as applicable ( max 250 words).
- Expertise/ evidence/ consultation informing the project: For projects relating to improvements for visitors with disabilities, children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences, detail what work has been undertaken to demonstrate that access would be improved for these audiences (e.g. access audits, audience development plans, commissioned research and audience surveys). For projects relating to the display and interpretation of collections, provide details on the planned interpretation and the research which has informed it (e.g. expert academic advice/research, or community consultation. This could be work previously undertaken or evidence of work in progress at the point of application (max 250 words).
- Future sustainability of the organisation, Financial: Summarise the impact the project will have on the museum’s financial sustainability and overall operating model. If the project will likely result in any uplift in staffing, operational or maintenance costs, these should be detailed as well as how the costs will be met. This section should also include projected impact on future visitor numbers (max 250 words).
- Future sustainability of the organisation, Environmental: Summarise how environmental considerations have been taken into account and the impact the project will have on the organisation’s environmental sustainability. All projects are expected to be environmentally sustainable and to have environmental considerations embedded in their planning (max 250 words).
Section 3: Project Management
- Internal management: Please detail who will be responsible for the project, listing out governance, expertise and experience of procuring and delivering similar capital projects. You may also wish to outline any relevant experience your museum/ gallery or project staff have.
- Project Timetable: Show the key milestones for the project from start to completion. This can include steps already completed at the time of application. Add additional rows to the table if required.
- Planning permission: Detail whether planning permission or consents are required and, if so, the timetable for obtaining them (max 150 words).
- Supporting information provided with the bid: (optional; mark with an X all the boxes that apply). Each item of supporting information should be no more than two pages, or six pages in total. Supporting information should be added at the end of the Bid Proforma; so as to be presented as a singular document.
Section 4: Project finances
- Total project cost: Including ineligible project costs. Only irrecoverable VAT needs to be counted in this figure.
- Total eligible costs: Refer to the ‘Terms and Conditions of the Fund’ section for details of ineligible costs.
- Cost breakdown: Give a breakdown of the total project cost, grouped into key cost item headings and including any ineligible costs. Add additional rows to the table if required. NB: if display cases form part of the bid, please state whether these are high-security.
- Supporting notes: If there are any considerations which might be relevant or help contextualise the cost breakdown provided, these should be included here (max 50 words).
- Match Funding, Total funding secured: If no matching is in place, this should be completed as £0.
- Match funding, details: If applicable, list the amounts and sources of funds already received and/or pledged. If funds are restricted to a particular element of the project this should also be indicated. If no matching is in place this should be completed as N/A.
- Match funding, shortfall: The total cost of the project minus total funding secured to date.
- Funding request for this bid (£): Identify a specific funding request for the bid. This should take into account the criteria set out under ‘Terms and Conditions of the Fund’ – e.g. not include ineligible costs; not exceed £400,000; and not exceed 85% of total eligible costs.
- Plans for raising the balance: Indicate how the remaining shortfall will be met. Where known, give specific sources, amounts and decision dates of pending applications. You should also address how the remaining balance would be secured if a grant is not awarded at the level requested for this bid (max 150 words).
- Suppliers and competitive tender: It is expected that all projects have been/will be subject to competitive tender. Indicate whether this has taken place and, if not, what the timetable is for undertaking it. If the tender process has been undertaken, confirm the names of your preferred supplier(s)/contractor(s) and a brief explanation of why they were selected (max 150 words).
Submitting your bid

The completed bid pro forma must be received in DCMS no later than 5pm on 14 November 2025 and should be sent to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Applicants are asked to submit their pro forma in both Microsoft Word and PDF format.

Please direct any enquiries to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Data Protection

DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation are committed to using any personal information (or personal data) we collect on a lawful, fair and transparent basis, respecting your legal rights as an individual in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable laws that regulate the use and privacy of personal data (Data Protection Law).

As part of us meeting this requirement, we have published our General Privacy Notice for you to refer to. For further information about our obligations and your rights under Data Protection Law, as well as how to report a concern if you believe that your personal data is being collected or used illegally, please also see the (Information Commissioner’s Office)[https://ico.org.uk/].

Evaluation

We will be evaluating how effective the Fund has been in meeting its aims and outcomes. We will require all applicants to engage with DCMS, the Wolfson Foundation and any appointed independent evaluators as required.

List of institutions eligible to apply to the Fund

Institutions are listed by group name and museum.

Arts University Bournemouth
- Museum of Design in Plastics
Barnsley Museums
- Cannon Hall Museum
- The Cooper Gallery
- Experience Barnsley
- Worsbrough Mill Museum
Bath & North East Somerset Heritage Services
- Fashion Museum
- Roman Baths Museum
- Victoria Art Gallery
Beamish, the Living Museum of the North
- Beamish, the Living Museum of the North
Bedford Borough Council
- The Higgins Museums and Art Gallery
Bernard Leach (St Ives) Trust Ltd
- Leach Pottery
Birmingham Museums Trust
- Aston Hall
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
- Blakesley Hall
- Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
- Museum Collections Centre
- Sarehole Mill
- Soho House
- Thinktank
Black Country Living Museum
- Black Country Living Museum
- The Locksmith’s House
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
- Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
Blackpool Borough Council
- The Grundy Art Gallery
Bowes Museum
- Bowes Museum
Bradford Museums & Galleries
- Bradford Industrial Museum
- Bolling Hall
- Cartwright Hall
- Cliffe Castle
Bristol City Council Museums, Galleries & Archives
- Blaise Museum
- Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
- The Georgian House Museum
- M Shed
- Red Lodge Museum
British Motor Industry Heritage Trust
- British Motor Museum
Burton Art Gallery and Museum
- Burton at Bideford
Canal and Rivers Trust
- The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne
- The National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
- National Waterways Museum, Gloucester Docks
Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum: The Wilson
- Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum: The Wilson
Chetham’s Library
- Chetham’s Library
Colchester + Ipswich Museums
- Christchurch Mansion
- Colchester Castle Museum
- Colchester Natural History Museum
- Hollytrees Museum
- Ipswich Museum
Compton Verney
- Compton Verney
Culture Coventry (museums and galleries only)
- Coventry Transport Museum
- Herbert Art Gallery and Museum
- Lunt Roman Fort
Cumbria Museums Consortium
- Tullie Museum & Art Gallery, Carlisle
- Abbot Hall Art Gallery
- Blackwell: The Arts & Crafts House
- Lakeland Museum
- Wordsworth Grasmere (Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Museum)
Derby Museums
- Derby Museum and Art Gallery
- Museum of Making (The Silk Mill)
- Pickford’s House
Design Museum
- Design Museum
Discover Bucks Museum
- Discover Bucks Museum
Dulwich Picture Gallery
- Dulwich Picture Gallery
Durham University
- Oriental Museum
- Durham Castle Museum
Exeter City Council
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
Food Museum
- Food Museum
Foundling Museum
- Foundling Museum
Garden Museum
- Garden Museum
Gunnersbury Park Museum
- Gunnersbury Park Museum
Hampshire Cultural Trust
- Aldershot Military Museum
- Allen Gallery (Alton)
- Andover Museum
- Basing House
- Chilcomb House
- Curtis Museum (Alton)
- Milestones - Hampshire’s Living History Museum (Basingstoke)
- Museum of the Iron Age (Andover)
- The Red House Museum & Gardens
- Rockbourne Roman Villa
- Willis Museum (Basingstoke)
- Westgate Museum
- Gosport Museum and Art Gallery
- Winchester City Museum
Harewood House Trust
- Harewood House Trust
Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
- Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
Heritage Doncaster
- Cusworth Hall
- Danum Gallery Library and Museum
Historic Royal Palaces
- Kensington Palace
- Hampton Court Palace
- Tower of London
- Banqueting House
- Kew Palace
Horniman Museum & Gardens
- Horniman Museum & Gardens
Humber Museums Partnership
- Ferens Art Gallery
- Hands on History Museum
- Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology
- Hull Maritime Museum
- Streetlife Museum
- Wilberforce House
- Treasure House Museum and Beverley Art Gallery
- Beverley Guildhall
- Goole Museum
- Sewerby Hall and Gardens
- Skidby Mill
- Normanby Hall Country Park
- North Lincolnshire Museum
- Fishing Heritage Centre, Grimsby
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
- Blists Hill Victorian Town
- Broseley Pipe Works
- Coalbrookedale Museum of Iron
- Coalport China Museum
- Darby Houses
- Jackfield Tile Museum
- Library and Archives, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
Jarrow Hall
- Jarrow Hall
Jewish Museum, London
- Jewish Museum, London
Kent and Medway Museum Partnership
- Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust
- Guildhall Museum, Rochester
- The Beaney
- Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery
Kirklees Museums and Galleries
- Oakwell Hall and Country Park
- Tolson Museum
- Bagshaw Museum
Lancashire County Museum Service
- Helmshore Mills Textile Museum (including Higher Mill and Whitaker’s Mill)
- Judges’ Lodgings
- Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
- Gawthorpe Hall
- Clitheroe Castle Museum
- Lancashire Conservation Studios and Collections
Leeds Museums and Galleries
- Abbey House Museum
- Discovery Centre
- Kirkstall Abbey
- Leeds Art Gallery
- Leeds City Museum
- Leeds Industrial Museum (Armley Mills)
- Lotherton Hall
- Temple Newsam
Leicester City Council Arts & Museums Service
- Abbey Pumping Station
- Guildhall
- Jewry Wall Museum
- Leicester Museum and Art Gallery
- Newarke Houses Museum
Leicestershire County Council Heritage Services
- Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park
- Charnwood Museum
- 1620s House and Garden (Donington le Heath)
- Harborough Museum
- Melton Carnegie Museum
Library and Museum of Freemasonry
- Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Lincolnshire Museums & Heritage
- Gainsborough Old Hall
- Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum
- Museum of Lincolnshire Life
- Normanby Hall
- Discover Stamford
- Trolleybus Museum
- Lincoln Museum and Usher Gallery
London Borough of Waltham Forest
- William Morris Gallery
- Vestry House Museum
London Museum
- London Museum
- London Museum Docklands
London Transport Museum
- London Transport Museum
Luton Culture
- Stockwood Discovery Centre
- Wardown Park Museum
Manchester City Galleries
- Platt Hall
- Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Jewish Museum
- Manchester Jewish Museum
Mansfield District Council
- Mansfield Museum
Mary Rose Trust
- The Mary Rose
Museums of the Royal College of Surgeons of England: Hunterian Museum
- Museums of the Royal College of Surgeons of England: Hunterian Museum
Museums Partnership Reading
- Museum of English Rural Life
- Reading Museum
Museums Sheffield
- Graves Gallery
- Millennium Gallery
- Weston Park
- Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet
- Kelham Island Museum
National Football Museum
- National Football Museum
National Justice Museum
- National Justice Museum
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
- National Motor Museum
National Paralympic Heritage Trust
- National Paralympic Heritage Centre
National Tramway Museum
- National Tramway Museum
New Art Gallery, Walsall
- New Art Gallery, Walsall
Norfolk Museums Service
- Norwich Castle
- Time & Tide
- Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse
- Museum of Norwich
- Elizabethan House
- Strangers’ Hall
- Lynn Museum
- Cromer Museum
- Tolhouse Gaol
- Ancient House
Northampton Museums Service
- Northampton Museum & Art Gallery
- Abington Park Museum
North Devon Council
- Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
North East Museums
- Hatton Gallery
- South Shields Museum and Art Gallery
- Arbeia South Shields Roman Fort
- Shipley Art Gallery
- Discovery Museum
- Laing Art Gallery
- Stephenson Railway Museum
- Segedunum Roman Fort
- Great North Museum: Hancock
- Hexham Old Gaol
- Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum
- Woodhorn Museum
North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust
- North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust
Norton Priory
- Norton Priory
Nottingham City Museums and Galleries
- Nottingham Castle
- Green’s Windmill
- Wollaton Hall (Natural History Museum)
- Newstead Abbey
- Nottingham Industrial Museum
People’s History Museum
- People’s History Museum
PK Porthcurno
- PK Porthcurno
Plymouth City Council Arts & Heritage
- The Box
- Elizabethan House
Preston City Council
- Harris Museum & Art Gallery
Ripon Museums Trust
- Workhouse Museum
- Courthouse Museum
- Prison & Police Museum
Rotherham Museums, Arts & Heritage
- Clifton Park Museum
Royal Academy of Arts
- Royal Academy of Arts
Royal Academy of Music
- Royal Academy of Music Museum
Royal College of Music Museum
- Royal College of Music Museum
Royal Engineers Museum
- Royal Engineers Museum
Royal Institute of British Architects
- British Architectural Library (RIBA)
Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
- Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
- The Booth Museum of Natural History
- Hove Museum & Art Gallery
- Preston Manor
- The Royal Pavilion
Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books
- Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Royal Shakespeare Company
- Shakespeare’s Birthplace
- New Place
- Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
- Hall’s Croft
- Mary Arden’s Farm
- RSC Collection
Shropshire Museums Service
- Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
- Much Wenlock Museum
- Shropshire Museums Collections Centre
Sir John Soane’s Museum
- Sir John Soane’s Museum
South West Heritage Trust
- The Museum of Somerset
- Somerset Rural Life Museum
Southampton City Council Arts & Heritage
- Tudor House & Garden
- SeaCity Museum
- Southampton City Art Gallery
Spalding Gentlemen’s Society
- Spalding Gentlemen’s Society
SS Great Britain Trust
- SS Great Britain Trust
Staffordshire County Council
- Staffordshire County Museum
St Albans Museums
- St Albans Museum and Art Gallery
- Verulamium Museum
St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery
- St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery
Stoke-on-Trent Museums
- The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
- Gladstone Pottery Museum
Storytellers (East Lindsey District Council)
- The Guildhall, Boston
- Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens
Sunderland Culture (museums and galleries only)
- Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
Tank Museum
- Tank Museum
Tees Valley Museum Group
- Preston Park Museum
- Hopetown Darlington
- Hartlepool Art Gallery
- Captain Cook Birthplace Museum
- Dorman Museum
- Museum of Hartlepool
- Kirkleatham Museum
Thackray Museum of Medicine
- Thackray Museum of Medicine
The Bronte Society
- Bronte Parsonage Museum
The Hepworth Wakefield Trust
- Hepworth Wakefield
The Kimmeridge Trust
- The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life
The Lightbox (Woking)
- The Lightbox
The Lowry (Museum only)
- The Lowry
The National Holocaust Centre and Museum
- The National Holocaust Centre and Museum
The Postal Heritage Trust
- The Postal Museum
The Ropewalk (Barton) Ltd
- The Ropewalk (Barton)
The Royal Artillery Museum
- The Royal Artillery Museum
The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre
- The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre
The Story Museum
- The Story Museum
The Vindolanda Charitable Trust
- Roman Vindolanda Fort & Museum
Torbay Museums Trust
- Torquay Museum
Towner Eastbourne
- Towner Eastbourne
University College London
- Grant Museum of Zoology
- Petrie Museum
- UCL Art Museum
University of Birmingham
- Barber Institute of Fine Arts
- Lapworth Museum of Geology
University of Bristol
- University of Bristol Theatre Collection
University of Cambridge
- Fitzwilliam Museum
- Kettle’s Yard
- University Museum of Zoology
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Sedgwick Museum of Earth Science
- The Polar Museum (Scott Polar Research Institute)
- Museum of Classical Archaeology
- The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College
- Whipple Museum of the History of Science
University of Leeds
- Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery
University of London
- Courtauld Gallery
University of Manchester
- Manchester Museum
- The Whitworth
University of Oxford
- Ashmolean Museum
- Museum of Natural History
- Pitt Rivers Museum
- Bate Collection of Musical Instruments
- Museum of the History of Science
University of Warwick
- Art Collection
Wakefield Council Museums
- Pontefract Castle
- Pontefract Museum
- Wakefield Museum
- Castleford Museum
Wolverhampton Arts and Culture
- Bilston Gallery
- Bantock House
- Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
- Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
Wellcome Trust
- Wellcome Collection
Wessex Museums Partnership
- Poole Museum
- Dorset Museum
- The Salisbury Museum
- Wiltshire Museum
- Museum & Art Swindon
- Steam (Museum of The Great Western Railway)
- Lydiard House
Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery
- Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery
York Museums Trust
- York Art Gallery
- York Castle Museum
- Yorkshire Museum
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Your Trust (Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust)
- Touchstones Rochdale
Any queries, including about eligibility, should be directed to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).