The British Museum Friends
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This funder exists to support the British Museum, so a request is most likely to fit where the work could strengthen the Museum's collections, research, building work or services to scholars and the public.
- Its wider reach to other charitable museums applies only where that might help the Museum, so a small nonprofit should frame its request around that link.
- No grant range, typical size or published application process is given, so start with a short enquiry through the contact shown and keep any figure modest and clearly costed.
- Most of the money it has awarded has gone to the Museum itself, so expect a request from outside the Museum to be a long shot, and the sources give no information on timing or how competitive it is.
Overview
The British Museum Friends is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1086080).
The British Museum Friends is a registered charity that supports and assists the British Museum in maintaining and expanding its collections and services to scholars and the general public. It makes grants from the surplus generated by membership subscriptions and other activities, and runs fundraising campaigns for specific items or projects the Museum requests. In the latest annual report it awarded £4,862,000, of which an unrestricted grant of £4.8m and a further restricted grant of £62k went to the British Museum.
What they fund
Profile based on the charity's Charity Commission register entry and annual report (year to 31 March 2025) only: no website or other web source for the charity was found. Every statement is checked against them. Sources read on 23 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation supports and assists the Museum in maintaining and expanding its collections and services to scholars and the general public. It makes grants from surpluses generated by membership subscriptions and other activities, and runs fundraising campaigns for specific items or projects requested by the Museum. Its grants support new acquisitions for the collection, research, building work and other projects, intended to benefit Members and the general public by deepening understanding of cultures around the world. Its objects also permit assistance to other charitable museums where, in its view, this might help the Museum.
Themes
- Collection acquisitions
- Research
- Building work
How to apply
No application process is published in the charity's annual report, its register entry or other pages about it. The contact shown is for getting in touch.
Where they fund
Registered area of operation (Charity Commission)
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The British Museum Friends.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £5,083,159 | £1,355,805 | £3,556 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £8,003,000 | £8,559,000 | £7,027,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £6,118,000 | £9,115,000 | £7,528,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £6,166,391 | £6,354,803 | £4,569,234 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £6,882,559 | £6,781,172 | £4,862,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 1 of the 5 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2021; year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- britishmuseum.org/about-us/contact-us · read on 23 October 2026; a page about the charity on another site
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile rests on the charity’s filed accounts and register entry only, so check with the funder directly before applying.
Sources last checked on 23 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The British Museum Friends?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to The British Museum Friends?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required