Museum of London
Analysis
Museum of London is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 2010, 16 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Museum of London reported income of £128.5m and spending of £26.8m, leaving 79% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £36.2m to £128.5m (+255%), an average of +37% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 63%. Over the whole period it spent 65% 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, Museum of London sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The British Film Institute (£128.1m), The Royal National Theatre (£128.7m) and The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical Philosophical and Philological Studies (£106.2m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 13%, investments 1.9% and trading 1.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £175k. Charitable activities took 80% of spending and raising funds 7.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £43k. Reserves of £6.7m would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 267 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 13%
- Legacies 0.1%
- Charitable activities 0.3%
- Trading 1.5%
- Investments 1.9%
- Other 83%
In the charity's own words
Museum of London tells the story of one of the world's greatest cities and its people. As the single most important source of knowledge on the capital, the Museum is, uniquely, a national, regional and local organisation. With over a million items in its collection, it is the largest social history Museum in the world.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The British Film Institute | London | £128.1m |
| The Royal National Theatre | London | £128.7m |
| The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical Philosophical and Philological Studies | London | £106.2m |
| The Royal Horticultural Society | London | £133.7m |