The Egypt Exploration Society

Analysis

The Egypt Exploration Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00025816). It says it makes grants to individuals and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2026, The Egypt Exploration Society reported income of £1.8m and spending of £577k, leaving 68% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £419k to £1.8m (+337%), an average of +45% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 137%. Over the whole period it spent 57% 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, The Egypt Exploration Society sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% 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 Project Seagrass (£1.8m), Migration Museum Project (£1.8m) and The Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts Ltd (£1.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 81%, charitable activities 18% and investments 1.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £365k. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 5.9%. Reserves of £161k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 6 people.