Association of Independent Museums

Analysis

Association of Independent Museums is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Ellesmere Port. It was registered in August 2000, 26 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01350939). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Association of Independent Museums reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.6m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £993k to £1.6m (+64%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 115%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Association of Independent Museums sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Harris (Belmont) Charity (£1.6m), The Richard Stoker Trust (£1.6m) and The Saturday Club Trust (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 99%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £721k. Reserves of £263k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 8 people.