The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum

Analysis

The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 1965, 61 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 00401816). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum reported income of £1.8m and spending of £871k, leaving 51% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £514k to £1.8m (+245%), an average of +36% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 85%. Over the whole period it spent 76% 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 Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum 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 Bromley Youth Music Trust (£1.8m), The Bronte Society (£1.8m) and The Chipping Norton Theatre Limited (£1.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 60%, investments 23% and charitable activities 17%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £923k. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 4.5%. Reserves of £11.2m would cover about 152 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 people.