The British Museum Friends

To support and assist the British Museum in maintaining and expanding its collections and services to scholars and to the general public.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

To support and assist the British Museum in maintaining and expanding its collections and services to scholars and to the general public.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Local Authority

Camden

Financial Information

Latest Income

£6,882,559

Latest Expenditure

£6,781,172

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 98.4%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 78% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 344). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 99.9%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 85% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 0.3%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 92% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £262,370

Charitable Activities £6,498,208

Other Trading £0

Investments £121,981

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £6,774,971

Raising Funds £6,201

Governance £12,512

Grants to Institutions £4,862,181

Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£6,882,559	£6,781,172	£6,774,971	£1,897,950	£1,897,949	17 / 18
2024	£6,166,391	£6,354,803	£6,349,910	£1,796,563	£1,796,563	16 / 21
2023	£6,118,000	£9,115,000	£9,114,000	£1,984,000	£1,984,000	0 / 14
2022	£8,003,000	£8,559,000	£8,540,000	£4,981,000	£981,000	0 / 3
2021	£5,083,159	£1,355,805	£1,355,805	£5,536,790	£5,536,790	0 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about The British Museum Friends

What does The British Museum Friends do?

To support and assist the British Museum in maintaining and expanding its collections and services to scholars and to the general public.

How much income did The British Museum Friends report in 2025?

The British Museum Friends reported total income of £6.88m and reported expenditure of £6.78m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is The British Museum Friends?

The British Museum Friends has a program ratio of 98.4%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 78% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 344 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was The British Museum Friends registered as a charity?

The British Museum Friends was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 9 April 2001 as charity number 1086080. It has been registered for 25 years.

Who runs The British Museum Friends?

The British Museum Friends is governed by a board of 20 trustees. The chair of trustees is George Osborne. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does The British Museum Friends operate?

The British Museum Friends operates in Camden, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is The British Museum Friends a registered charity?

Yes — The British Museum Friends is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1086080.