National Museum of Wales

Analysis

National Museum of Wales is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cardiff. It was registered in August 1963, 63 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. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, National Museum of Wales reported income of £49.2m and spending of £44.8m, spending 91% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £34.4m to £49.2m (+43%), an average of +9.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 100% 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, National Museum of Wales 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 Alan Turing Institute (£49.0m), Paul Hamlyn Foundation (£50.7m) and BH Live (£48.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 81%, trading 8.6% and donations and legacies 3.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £519k. Charitable activities took 89% of spending and raising funds 9.0%. Reserves of £8.7m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 611 people.