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£5m boost for project improving public access to archive collections

National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to Archives Revealed is among ‘biggest investments into archives this century’

The National Lottery Heritage fund has awarded £5m to Archives Revealed, a long-running partnership between The National Archives, the Pilgrim Trust and the Wolfson Foundation.

It is supporting new grants of up to £150,000 for collaborative projects over multiple collections, and a new skills development programme.

Funding for public access to archives across 2024–2027 will be five times higher than the past three years, NLHF said, marking among the biggest investments into archives this century.

The Archives Revealed project aims to make significant archival collections, representing the lives and perspectives of people across the UK, more accessible to the public. It also shares skills and knowledge, fosters relationships and builds organisational resilience across the archives sector.

NLHF said the investment supports its Heritage 2033 strategy for investing in heritage for the future as well as the present.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Our archives are home to our stories. Records, collections and histories all shine a light on who we are, how we live and what is important to us.

“I am delighted that National Lottery funding will support Archives Revealed to unlock many more of these stories right across the UK and safeguard them for future generations.

Jeff James, Chief Executive and Keeper of The National Archives, on behalf of Archives Revealed, said: “This is an exciting time to be involved in archives. This generous grant allows Archives Revealed to help more archives in the coming years, to get the very best out of their collections and make them more accessible, demonstrating that archives truly are for everyone.

“The addition of a new training programme allows us to continue to support the archive sector as a thriving, inclusive sector which places development and professionalism at its heart.”