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Heritage Charities

Discover 2,701 Heritage charities. Use the search below to filter within these results.

2,701
Charities
£2,748,266,778
Total Income
£758,352
Avg Income
100.0%
Program Ratio

Major UK charities curated by Charity Finder for size, recognition, and registry coverage. Click through for full profiles, financials, and trustees.

York Conservation Trust Limited

Charitable activities, Heritage

The charitable company's policy is to acquire, renovate and maintain property of historical, architectural or constructional interest in the County of North Yorkshire in accordance with its objects.The charity does not generally award grants to third parties.

Latest Income: £4,358,982
Areas of Operation: City Of York
Status: Registered
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The Photographers' Gallery LTD

Arts, Heritage

The Photographers Gallery Limited is a registered charity whose objects are to further advance photography as an art form, promote public knowledge, appreciation and understanding of the medium and organise public exhibitions and educational projects to these ends. The Photographers Gallery is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Latest Income: £4,262,114
Areas of Operation: London
Status: Registered
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Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust

Heritage

To preserve the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth so that it may be enjoyed by the public for generations to come. To restore, maintain and find appropriate new uses for buildings of outstanding historic and architectural interest in the Dockyard.

Latest Income: £4,254,000
Areas of Operation: Hampshire
Status: Registered
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Sir John Soane's Museum

Arts, Heritage

To preserve Nos 12, 13 & 14 Lincoln's Inn Fields and Sir John Soane's collections for present and future generations. To allow free public access to the Museum and collections. To provide education following Soane's intention to develop 'an Academy for the Study of Architecture'. To publicize the Museum's collections as widely as possible through events, exhibitions, catalogues and publications.

Latest Income: £4,221,788
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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Institute Of Contemporary Arts Limited

Arts, Heritage, Housing

Established in 1947, the ICA is the UK's original, multi-disciplinary arts centre, existing today to create a space for new, experimental and independent arts practice and ideas. Housing two galleries, two cinemas, a theatre, learning room, studio, bookshop and bar, the ICA presents an international programme of work across artforms to a wide and diverse range of audiences.

Latest Income: £4,126,501
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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The Wardens And Assistants Of Rochester Bridge In The County Of Kent

Economic and community development, Heritage

The maintenance and improvement of two road bridges and a services bridge (known as Rochester Bridge). Care of and access to archives and historical artefacts. The promotion of other charitable purposes through projects and the award of grants for education and research in engineering, agriculture & history; heritage structures; and charitable purposes connected to the River Medway.

Latest Income: £3,858,749
Areas of Operation: Various
Status: Registered
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Great Western Society Limited

Heritage

1) To preserve, restore and operate as a permanent public exhibition and museum, steam and other railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment, both for historical and educational purposes, and2) To make available for public reference the history, equipment and operation all with reference to both the former Great Western Railway and its successors since nationalisation on 1 January 1948

Latest Income: £3,853,845
Areas of Operation: Various
Status: Registered
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The Holburne Museum

Heritage

Provision and operation of museum of fine and decorative arts with at its heart the collection of Sir William Holburne. The Holburne Museum stages international exhibitions and other projects involving fine and decorative arts of all periods and is admired for its dynamic displays, vibrant learning and community engagement programme and innovative interpretation.

Latest Income: £3,732,963
Areas of Operation: Bath And North East Somerset
Status: Registered
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Watercress Line Heritage Railway Trust Limited

Heritage

The Charity's objects are to preserve, restore, maintain, operate, exhibit, educate, instruct, stimulate, promote and encourage interest in heritage railways, locomotives, rolling stock, buildings, artifacts and equipment and to foster and support railway preservation. It provides strategic direction to its subsidiary, Mid-Hants Railway Ltd, which operates the Watercress Line.

Latest Income: £3,658,953
Areas of Operation: Various
Status: Registered
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Vintage Trains Charitable Trust

Heritage

The principal activity and object is to encourage and promote public interest in the preservation of steam and other railway locomotives and rolling stock of historical importance. The company continues with the restoration of locomotives and rolling stock.

Latest Income: £3,577,393
Areas of Operation: Birmingham City
Status: Registered
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Chapter (cardiff) Limited

Arts, Heritage

Chapter operates an arts centre in Cardiff which has two cinemas, two theatre spaces and a gallery. It specialises in contemporary culture including cinema, visual arts, digital arts and performing arts. It also offers a programme of classes and activities for the public, workspaces for small cultural businesses and meeting rooms for the community.

Latest Income: £3,567,569
Areas of Operation: Wales
Status: Registered
View Details

The Trust For Welsh Archaeology

Charitable activities, Heritage

The principal activity of the company during the year was the education of the public in archaeology through the provision of archaeological services.

Latest Income: £3,524,011
Areas of Operation: Carmarthenshire
Status: Registered
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Whitechapel Gallery

Arts, Beneficiary group, Charitable activities, Education, Heritage

The Charitable organisation main objectives are:The provision and maintenance of an art gallery for exhibition to the public of modern and historical fine art; modern and historical design and applied art; and work done by school children and local communities.Promoting and encouraging the education of the public in the arts both in the Gallery and elsewhere.

Latest Income: £3,492,524
Areas of Operation: London
Status: Registered
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Shropshire Wildlife Trust

Environment, Heritage

For the public benefit to safeguard and enhance biodiversity and sustainability and in particular1. to undertake and promote the conservation of wildlife species and their habitats including the maintenance, restoration and creation of such habitats;0001

Latest Income: £3,375,000
Areas of Operation: Shropshire
Status: Registered
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Weald And Downland Open Air Museum Limited

Arts, Heritage

The charity's main objects are to stimulate public interest in and to promote the preservation of buildings of architectural or historical interest and to stimulate public interest in ancient crafts, trades and manufactures.

Latest Income: £3,369,813
Areas of Operation: Various
Status: Registered
View Details

The Architectural Heritage Fund

Charitable activities, Heritage

To promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the public, buildings monuments or other edifices or structures in the UK. To protect and conserve the character and heritage of the cities towns and villages in and around which such buildings monuments or other edifices of structures exist. To advance public education of and interest in the conservation of the UK's built heritage.

Latest Income: £3,329,213
Areas of Operation: Northern Ireland
Status: Registered
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The Museum Of The Home

Facilities, Heritage, Housing, Society

The Museum of the Home explores the theme of home through galleries, rooms through time and gardens, special exhibitions, learning programmes and community engagement activities. Formerly known as the Geffyre Museum, it is housed in the 300-year old Geffrye Almshouse buildings in Hackney,and encourages people from London's diverse communities to learn about home - a theme common to everyone.

Latest Income: £3,317,178
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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The Mary Rose Trust

Education, Heritage

To conserve the Mary Rose and her artefacts and display them to a wide audience.To maintain the archives and publish archaeological information and to promote and make accessible, research and knowledge relating to the Mary Rose.To provide world class expertise for maritime archaeology and the conservation of material recovered from underwater.To enable lifelong learning and outreach.

Latest Income: £3,208,481
Areas of Operation: Hampshire
Status: Registered
View Details

Museum Of Modern Art Limited

Arts, Heritage

Modern Art Oxford was established as the Museum of Modern Art to present exhibitions of modern and contemporary visual art including paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, design, photographs, video, film and works of art of any other media and to advance the education of the general public in the visual arts.

Latest Income: £3,148,137
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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Customs House Trust Limited

Arts, Economic and community development, Heritage

Arts Centre offering Theatre, Cinema and Art Gallery. We deliver Arts in Education within South Tyneside and within the North East Region and are actively engaged in arts development as well as the use of the arts to promote social and economic regeneration.

Latest Income: £3,117,161
Areas of Operation: North Tyneside
Status: Registered
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West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust LTD

Heritage

The Charity is principally engaged in Museums management, Collections management and care, Restoration of heritage railway carriages and Education, Learning and Community Outreach in relation to heritage railways, their social and economic history and their relationship to the environment.

Latest Income: £3,046,688
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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The Jerusalem Foundation

Charitable activities, Heritage, Religion

-Preservation of religious sites, temples and monuments of Jerusalem.-Excavation, repairs, preservation and upkeep of such historic sites and antiquities of Jerusalem of permanent educational value to mankind.-Educational or religious projects in Jerusalem which are exclusively charitable.- all charitable activity is done through grant making and not direct contact with vulnerable groups

Latest Income: £3,006,831
Areas of Operation: Israel
Status: Registered
View Details

Watts Gallery Trust

Arts, Heritage

The Watts Gallery Trust seeks to promote the understanding and appreciation of the Victorian artist G F Watts OM RA 1817-1904 and the ceramic artist Mary Seton Watts, in the context of the 19th Century, and to promote Compton as a centre for exploring Victorian art, social history and craft for present and future generations.

Latest Income: £2,812,273
Areas of Operation: Surrey
Status: Registered
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Canterbury Archaeological Trust Limited

Arts, Heritage

Archaeological investigations, building recording, educational services, publications

Latest Income: £2,701,593
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
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Drapers Charitable Fund

Heritage, Social welfare

Improving the quality of life and expectations of people and their communities, particularly those disadvantaged or socially excluded by funding organisations in the fields of education and social welfare, particularly in Greater London. Promotes the Company's textile heritage, maintains its traditional support for the City of London and its historical connections in Northern Ireland.

Latest Income: £2,685,027
Areas of Operation: England And Wales
Status: Registered
View Details
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Frequently asked questions about this sector

How many heritage charities are there in the UK?

There are 2,701 registered heritage charities on the Charity Commission for England and Wales register at the most recent refresh.

Which is the largest of the heritage charities by income?

Wellcome Trust is the largest by latest reported annual income (£569.5m). Notable peers are listed on this page; the full ranking is available by sorting the results by highest income.

What is the combined annual income of heritage charities?

Heritage charities reported a combined annual income of £2.7bn across their most recent filings with the Charity Commission.

What is a typical program ratio for heritage charities?

Across all heritage charities, the aggregate program ratio (charitable expenditure as a share of income) is 100.0%. Individual charity ratios vary widely — see each profile for a sector-band benchmark.

What is the average annual income of heritage charities?

Heritage charities have an average annual income of £758k. The distribution is heavily skewed: a small number of large charities account for most sector income, while the majority report under £100k a year.

Where does this data come from?

All figures are sourced from the Charity Commission for England and Wales public register, refreshed weekly. Derived metrics (program ratio, efficiency) are calculated by Charity Finder using the formulas documented on the data sources page.