Sir John Soane's Museum: where does the money come from?
Sir John Soane's Museum had income of £4m in the year to March 2025, and 30% of it was government grant-in-aid. It welcomed 163,508 visitors.
What does Sir John Soane's Museum do?
Sir John Soane's Museum is the architect Sir John Soane's former house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, kept as it was when he died in 1837. It holds his collection of antiquities, paintings, models and architectural drawings. Soane secured an Act of Parliament in 1833 to preserve the house, and entry has stayed free as he intended. It is supported by government funding, donations, venue hire, a shop and brand licensing.
In brief: house museum · architect's home and collection · free entry · Lincoln's Inn Fields, London
Source: Sir John Soane's Museum's own website, retrieved 27 September 2026.
Where does Sir John Soane's Museum's money come from?
Government grant-in-aid brought in £1.3m, 30% of the total. The rest, £3m, came from what Sir John Soane's Museum earns and raises itself: admissions, shops and catering, donations and other income.
- Government grant-in-aid £1.3m 30%
- Admissions and exhibitions £0.1m 2%
- Shops, catering and commercial £0.8m 18%
- Donations and legacies £1.4m 32%
- Other income £0.7m 18%
What did Sir John Soane's Museum spend, and what is it worth?
| Measure | Mar 2025 | Previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Total income | £4m | £4m |
| Total spending | £4m | |
| Net income before gains | £0.3m | |
| Staff costs | £2m | |
| Staff | 50 | |
| Net assets | £13m | |
| Cash | £1.3m | |
| Visitors | 163,508 | |
| Income per visitor | £25.82 | |
| Grant-in-aid per visitor | £7.70 |
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
- Registered charity (No. 313609) and executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS
- Sites
- Sir John Soane's Museum, 12-14 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London
- Trading company
- Soane Museum Enterprises Limited (08171280)
- Latest accounts
- Year to 31 March 2025
Sir John Soane's Museum: common questions
How much money does Sir John Soane's Museum get from the government?
£1.3m of grant-in-aid in the year to March 2025, 30% of its total income of £4m.
How much does Sir John Soane's Museum spend?
£4m in the year to March 2025, of which staff costs were £2m.
How many people visit Sir John Soane's Museum?
163,508 in the year to March 2025 (Visitors to the Museum at 12-14 Lincoln's Inn Fields, year to 31 March 2025, excluding schools and virtual visits (record; 157,938 in 2023-24)), according to its annual report.
Why isn't Sir John Soane's Museum on the Companies House register?
Sir John Soane's Museum is registered charity (No. 313609) and executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS, so it publishes its accounts in an annual report rather than filing them at Companies House. Its trading company, Soane Museum Enterprises Limited, does file there.
Spark Intel, “Sir John Soane's Museum: where does the money come from?”, updated 28 September 2026. https://www.spark-intel.co.uk/companies/soane-museum/. Figures from Sir John Soane's Museum's annual report and accounts for the year to 31 March 2025.
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