British Museum: where does the money come from?
The British Museum had income of £150m in the year to March 2026, and 54% of it was government grant-in-aid. It welcomed 6,500,000 visitors.
What does the British Museum do?
The British Museum is a national museum in Bloomsbury, London, holding a collection that spans human history, art and culture across the world. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1753 and opened in 1759. It is funded by government grant-in-aid alongside its own income: general admission is free, with paid ticketed exhibitions, and a trading company runs shops, publishing and catering. Membership, donations and venue hire add further income.
In brief: national museum · world history and culture · free entry, paid exhibitions · Bloomsbury, London
Source: Spark Intel editorial, checked 27 September 2026. Official website: britishmuseum.org.
Where does the British Museum's money come from?
Government grant-in-aid brought in £81m, 54% of the total. The rest, £69m, came from what the British Museum earns and raises itself: admissions, shops and catering, donations and other income.
- Government grant-in-aid £81m 54%
- Admissions and exhibitions £21m 14%
- Shops, catering and commercial £23m 16%
- Donations and legacies £14m 10%
- Other income £10m 7%
What did the British Museum spend, and what is it worth?
| Measure | Mar 2026 |
|---|---|
| Total income | £150m |
| Total spending | £127m |
| Net income before gains | £23m |
| Staff costs | £61m |
| Staff | 1,183 |
| Net assets | £2,448m |
| Cash | £40m |
| Visitors | 6,500,000 |
| Income per visitor | £23.05 |
| Grant-in-aid per visitor | £12.45 |
Net income is before investment gains and property revaluations. For a charity it is the surplus kept for the collection and buildings, not a profit paid out.
- Legal form
- Exempt charity (Schedule 3, Charities Act 2011) and executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS, governed by the British Museum Act 1963
- Sites
- British Museum, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, BM_ARC (Archaeological Research Collection), Shinfield, near Reading, Berkshire
- Trading company
- The British Museum Company Limited (01079888)
- Latest accounts
- Year to 31 March 2026
British Museum: common questions
How much money does the British Museum get from the government?
£81m of grant-in-aid in the year to March 2026, 54% of its total income of £150m.
How much does the British Museum spend?
£127m in the year to March 2026, of which staff costs were £61m.
How many people visit the British Museum?
6,500,000 in the year to March 2026 (Number of visits to the Museum (Bloomsbury), excluding virtual visits, 2025-26; DCMS performance indicator stated only as 6.5m (6.5m in 2024-25)), according to its annual report.
Why isn't the British Museum on the Companies House register?
The British Museum is exempt charity (Schedule 3, Charities Act 2011) and executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS, governed by the British Museum Act 1963, so it publishes its accounts in an annual report rather than filing them at Companies House. Its trading company, The British Museum Company Limited, does file there.
Spark Intel, “British Museum: where does the money come from?”, updated 28 September 2026. https://www.spark-intel.co.uk/companies/british-museum/. Figures from British Museum's annual report and accounts for the year to 31 March 2026.
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