Twenty-two UK museums and galleries have received a total of £3m for acquisition projects under the Heritage Lottery Fund's (HLF) Collecting Cultures initiative.
The one-off collections development project allows museums to develop strategic acquisition programmes, rather than having to apply to organisation such as the HLF for support each time an item becomes available.
The grants range from £50,000 to £200,000, and the museums will be able to buy objects whenever they want, without having to go back to the HLF each time.
Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery and one of those who developed the scheme, said the initiative was a new way of funding acquisitions.
"This is about trusting museums and galleries that have the expertise to make acquisitions," he said. "Whether it is the HLF, Art Fund or government in the form of tax relief, there is a momentum for acquisitions in the future ---and that is very good news."
The Museum of English Rural Life, in Reading, was given £95,000 to help it build a 20th-century collection.
The museum's keeper, Roy Brigden, said: "Never before have we had the money and the opportunity to construct a considered programme of targeted collecting."
The museums that have received the biggest awards include the Scott Polar Research Institute, in Cambridge, which was allocated £200,000, and Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, which has been given £199,500.
The one-off collections development project allows museums to develop strategic acquisition programmes, rather than having to apply to organisation such as the HLF for support each time an item becomes available.
The grants range from £50,000 to £200,000, and the museums will be able to buy objects whenever they want, without having to go back to the HLF each time.
Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery and one of those who developed the scheme, said the initiative was a new way of funding acquisitions.
"This is about trusting museums and galleries that have the expertise to make acquisitions," he said. "Whether it is the HLF, Art Fund or government in the form of tax relief, there is a momentum for acquisitions in the future ---and that is very good news."
The Museum of English Rural Life, in Reading, was given £95,000 to help it build a 20th-century collection.
The museum's keeper, Roy Brigden, said: "Never before have we had the money and the opportunity to construct a considered programme of targeted collecting."
The museums that have received the biggest awards include the Scott Polar Research Institute, in Cambridge, which was allocated £200,000, and Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, which has been given £199,500.
At a glance
Collecting Cultures is a one-off museums and galleries acquisitions programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
There were 95 applications, totalling £13.3m.
Twenty-two museums and galleries were successful, sharing £3m.
Grants ranged from £50,000 to £200,000.
52 per cent of the applications came from local authority museums, 26 per cent from independents, 13 per cent from nationals and 9 per cent from university museums.
All UK counties and countries had at least one successful application.
Collecting Cultures is a one-off museums and galleries acquisitions programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
There were 95 applications, totalling £13.3m.
Twenty-two museums and galleries were successful, sharing £3m.
Grants ranged from £50,000 to £200,000.
52 per cent of the applications came from local authority museums, 26 per cent from independents, 13 per cent from nationals and 9 per cent from university museums.
All UK counties and countries had at least one successful application.
