Lending and borrowing in museums hit by capacity pressures and rising costs

Curatorial capacity constraints remain one of the key barriers for both lending and borrowing activity among museums, according to a new report.

As well as the pressures affecting curators, conservation staff and registrar roles, the rising cost of transport is also noted as a sector-wide challenge.

Likewise, conservation and environmental costs limit what both lenders and borrowers can achieve. Variability in how environmental standards are applied is another area flagged by museums as restricting their ability to lend. 

Despite the challenges, the Lending and Borrowing Today: 2025 Review, carried out by The Exhibitions Group (TEG) and the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC), shows significant progress across the sector.

The report, based on survey responses from 47 organisations, measures how UK museums and galleries are performing against the 11 Principles for Lending and Borrowing, which were published jointly by TEG and NMDC in 2021. 

The report found that partnership working has strengthened, in-person courier requirements have reduced significantly – with some organisations reporting a 75% reduction since pre-pandemic, and many institutions have adopted clearer communication and greater transparency around costs. 

Post-pandemic, many lenders are now accepting alternatives to in-person couriering, including virtual, bookend, or shared arrangements, or a presumption against courier models.

A pragmatic approach to environmental, display, and transport requirements is also becoming more embedded, with 68% of surveyed organisations stating they take a risk-managed approach to each loan request.

And the survey found that borrowers perceive lenders as usually willing to loan objects. However, some borrowers report overly strict requirements from lenders that, in some cases, exceed the lenders’ in-house standards.

The review identifies four priority areas for action:

1. Improving the transparency and visibility of lending information.
2. Strengthening consistency in environmental and security requirements.
3. Expanding cost-mitigation strategies.
4. Enhancing clarity around lead-in times and costs from the outset of the loans process. 

Dana Andrew, TEG’s professional development manager, said: “Four years on from the launch of the 11 Principles, we can see they are making a difference, but awareness and adoption still isn’t where it needs to be. Our priority now is to work with NMDC and the wider sector to close those gaps and ensure the principles are embedded in everyday practice.” 

Laura Pye, the director of National Museums Liverpool and chair of NMDC, said “The survey results show an encouraging move in the right direction, especially in light of the pressures the sector has faced over the last four years.”