National museums of the United Kingdom explained

There are a number of national museums in the United Kingdom, which are owned and operated by the state. The national museums of the UK are funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of the British government, and are all located in England. There are 14 national museums, all established by Acts of Parliament, as well as another eight which are sponsored by the DCMS.^[1]

In addition, there are national museums in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are supported by the devolved legislatures. National museums in Scotland are funded by the Scottish Executive Education Department,^[2] in Wales by the Welsh Government,^[3] and in Northern Ireland by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure of the Northern Ireland Executive.^[4]

Free entrance is standard practice in all UK national museums, although some exhibits do require an admission fee to view. Several of the museums have more than one location throughout the UK.

National museums in England

National museums established by Act of Parliament

• British Museum, London
• Imperial War Museums, London, Cambridge and Manchester
• National Gallery, London
• National Maritime Museum, London
• National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Gosport, Yeovilton, Belfast, and Hartlepool^[5]
  • National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
  • Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton
  • HMS Caroline, Belfast
  • National Museum of the Royal Navy, Hartlepool
  • Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport
  • Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport
• National Museums Liverpool
  • World Museum, Liverpool
  • Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
  • Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool
  • Seized! The Border and Customs uncovered, Liverpool
  • International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
  • Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight
  • Sudley House, Liverpool
  • Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool
• Science Museum Group
  • Science Museum, London
  • Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
  • National Railway Museum, York
  • National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
  • National Collections Centre, Swindon
  • Locomotion, Shildon
• National Portrait Gallery, London
• National Army Museum, Chelsea, London
• Natural History Museum, London
• Royal Armouries, Leeds, London and Portsmouth
• Royal Air Force Museum, London and Shropshire
• Sir John Soane's Museum, London
• Tate, London, Liverpool and St. Ives, Cornwall
• Victoria and Albert Museum, London
• Wallace Collection, London^[6]

Sponsored museums

• Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
• Museum of the Home, London
• National Coal Mining Museum for England, Overton, West Yorkshire

National museums in Scotland

See main article: National Museums Scotland and National Galleries Scotland.

National museums in Wales

See main article: Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.

National museums in Northern Ireland

• Ulster Museum
• Ulster Folk Museum
• Ulster American Folk Park
• Ulster Transport Museum

See also

• List of museums in England
• List of museums in Scotland
• List of museums in Wales
• List of museums in Northern Ireland

External links

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Museums and galleries
• National Museums Scotland
• Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
• National Museums Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. Web site: Department for Culture, Media and Sport – Sponsored Museums and Galleries . 2007-08-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070606232140/http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Museums_galleries/sponsored_mg.htm . 2007-06-06 .
2. Web site: National Museums of Scotland, Annual Report and Accounts, 2005–06 . 2007-08-01.
3. Web site: National Museum Wales Annual Report 05-06 . 2007-08-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927203234/http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/media/1/9/6/2/Annual_Report_2005-06.pdf . 2007-09-27 .
4. Web site: National Museums Northern Ireland, Annual Report and Accounts, 2005–06 . 2007-08-01.
5. Web site: Understanding the National Museums’ Partnership activities in 2020/21 . 2024-08-20 . GOV.UK . en.
6. Web site: Department for Culture Media and Sport. Sponsored Institutions. DCMS. 1 June 2012.