Deadline: 12-Nov-2025
The scheme provides grants to small museums, funding projects that tell the stories of science and scientists relevant to communities across the UK.
They want to fund projects that highlight the topics, stories and people that are relevant to your local community, present science in new and interesting ways, encourage participation and involvement of the local community, and provoke curiosity, interest and enthusiasm among those that take part. They are particularly interested in projects that explore the experiences of historically underrepresented people, are led by organisations that don’t normally feature scientific content, involve partners that can enhance the project’s outcomes, impact or quality, and reach audiences who do not normally engage with science. They love to hear about projects taking place at your museum and beyond; including but not limited to schools, community spaces, in nature, etc.
They also encourage involving your local communities in any capacity – as participants, volunteers, or lived experience contributors and advisors. Through a Community of Practice, UK-wide organisations are supported to build best practice around communicating these themes through a skills and knowledge sharing programme.
Projects are expected to clearly define their target audience, outline project activities and links to science, and demonstrate relevance to the local community, including possible partnerships that can enhance outcomes, impact, or quality. Projects must begin on or before 31 August 2026 and all funded activity, not including evaluation and reporting, must be completed by 31 August 2028. Decisions on funding will be communicated by the end of February 2026.
Grants of up to £3,500 are available. Eligible institutions must have accredited or provisionally accredited museum status, fewer than 65,000 visitors or turnover of less than £200,000 per year, be located in the United Kingdom, and the project activities must be for a public, non-specialist audience. The project must also commence before the end of August 2026.
Applications will be judged by the Places of Science allocation panel, which includes museum and heritage professionals, historians, and scientists. Judging criteria include relevance and suitability, impact and significance, and planning and evaluation. The panel aims to select a demographically, geographically, and scientifically diverse range of projects.
For more information, visit The Royal Society.