National Programmes

The British Museum works in collaboration with an extensive partnership of organisations across the UK to ensure its collection and knowledge are shared with the broadest audience.

Central to the Museum's approach to partnership working around the UK is the principle of sharing collections in ways chosen by partners, through touring exhibitions and loans. Supporting this activity is a programme of sharing expertise and other initiatives, building a pool of skills and knowledge together that creates opportunities for the public to engage directly with history.

An annual summary document is produced each year to celebrate and promote the variety and breadth of partnership UK activity.

Download the National Annual Review 

For more information about the programme please contact ukpartnerships@britishmuseum.org

Key: blue = long-term loans, orange = tours and short-term loans, grey = multiple items

UK tours and loans

UK exhibitions

The British Museum has a programme of single-venue and touring exhibitions hosted in regional museums across the UK funded by the Dorset Foundation.

View all current touring exhibitions 
Case study: Lewis chessmen 

Spotlight loans

The Museum’s Spotlight loans programme consists of high-impact, single-object loans of treasures from the British Museum to regional museums across the UK.

View all current UK loans 
Case study: Mold Gold Cape  

Partnership galleries

Working together with museums and galleries across the UK, the British Museum provides curatorial support and object loans to complement new permanent gallery displays with a selection of Partnership Galleries.

View all partnership galleries 
Case study: Yorkshire Museum  

National initiatives

Sharing expertise

The British Museum is proud to be working in partnership with a wide range of UK Museums on skills sharing and workforce development. Although much of this activity is carried out behind the scenes, the work plays a vital role in developing a sustainable and vibrant sector with true public benefit.

Find out more 

Community partnerships

Community partnerships connect diverse audiences with the British Museum and its collections through collaborative and creative programming, working in partnership with local audiences to adapt the Public Programme to the needs of specific groups.

Find out more 

International training

Each year the British Museum runs a training programme for museum professionals from around the world, with up to 28 participants spending six weeks in the UK. A key part of the programme is a 10-day period spent at another UK partner museum.

Find out more 

Portable Antiquities Scheme

The British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme records archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. The scheme is administered by a network of Finds Liaison Officers based in museums and archaeology services throughout the country.

Visit the website 

Money and medals

Subject Specialist Networks are an important means of connecting the sector. The Money & Medals Network is co-ordinated by the British Museum to enhance the knowledge and understanding of coins, medals, tokens and paper money in British collections.

Visit the website 

Teaching History with 100 Objects

Teaching history with 100 objects consists of 100 resources based on objects selected from museums in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and from the British Museum. It harnesses the power of objects to motivate young people’s interest in history and to provide teachers with resources to inspire their students’ study of events and people in the past through the provision of high quality resources, up to date subject expertise and stimulating teaching ideas.

Visit the website