Six underrated London museums will benefit from nearly £1.5 million in funding

In London, visiting a museum doesn’t have to be about seeing priceless masterpieces in the Tate, or ancient artefacts in the British Museum, because sometimes a local museum can be just as fascinating. 

Six local museums in London have just been granted funding by the Arts Council Museum Renewal Fund. The funding was allocated to smaller museums across the UK to help them protect jobs and operating hours, making up for the shortfall between operating costs and income throughout 2025 and 2026.

In total, £20 million was distributed among 75 museums across the UK, including £1.43 million for the six London sites.

Among the London recipients was Fulham Palace, which was awarded more than half a million pounds. The historical site was once a Tudor-era episcopal retreat and the home of the Bishops of London, with Georgian and Victorian additions layered over the centuries.

Nearly half a million in funding was also given to the Headstone Manor and Museum in Harrow, a Grade I-listed medieval estate with a moated 14th-century manor house that was  originally home to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Gunnersbury Park Museum, a historic collection focussed on local history and archaeology housed in a stunning white Regency mansion that was once home to the Rothschild family, was awarded nearly £150,000. Plus three more local venues were given grants from the fund. 

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England said: ‘Travelling through cities, towns, and villages across the UK, I have seen that museums and art galleries are often a proud focal point in communities, telling important stories about history, people and place. This funding will provide a crucial lifeline for local museums in stabilising their financial situation and building towards a sustainable future.’

Full list of London museums to receive Arts Council funding 

Here’s which smaller London museums are receiving funding, and how much. 

• Headstone Manor and Museum – £419,420
• Fulham Palace – £571,033
• Gunnersbury Park Museum – £147,309
• Richmond Arts Service – £117,354
• Brent Museum and Archives – £121,851
• Haringey Council – £60,400

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