‘Building the Future’ campaign awarded £2.03 million grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The Egypt Exploration Society is delighted to announce a £2,031,927 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help transform its central London premises into an accessible, innovative, and sustainable heritage centre, protecting its unique archival and manuscript collections and enhancing public engagement.
The EES has pioneered British archaeology in Egypt since 1882. Its archives tell that story through archaeological records, photographs, replicas, and artworks, including original watercolours by famed archaeologist Howard Carter. The Society is also the custodian of the world’s largest collection of ancient papyrus manuscripts―the Oxyrhynchus Papyri―alongside cartonnage funerary objects. Without this funding, structural damage and poor accessibility would threaten many of our collections, meaning vital stories for world culture and British-Egyptian history could be lost.
This project will transform the Society’s capacity to care for its collections and achieve its charitable mission, enabling the creation of new storage and display facilities and helping to safeguard a unique heritage for the benefit of the public and ongoing research.
Accessible and fully equipped engagement spaces will be home to a new activities programme designed with inclusion at its heart. From school workshops to exhibits, replica-handling to artist residencies, the activities on offer will cater to diverse audiences with a range of needs, interests, and backgrounds.
The redeveloped premises will protect the environment through energy efficient design and carbon-conscious construction methods, including the retention and reuse of materials. A new roof garden will highlight Egypt’s precious natural heritage, providing a space for learning and wellbeing while also contributing to local biodiversity. Many of these measures will also support organisational sustainability by reducing energy usage and expanding prospective income streams, helping the Egypt Exploration Society to safeguard its work and collections for future generations.
Commenting on the news, the Society’s Director Carl Graves said:
We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This is the largest single contribution the Society has received in all its 143-year history. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can ensure that our irreplaceable archive and manuscript collections will inspire diverse audiences for years to come.
Meanwhile, Stuart McLeod, Director of England, London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has said:
We’re delighted to support the Egypt Exploration Society in safeguarding these globally significant collections. This project will not only protect rare archives and manuscripts for future generations but also open up exciting opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with these fascinating collections. Thanks to National Lottery players, this transformation will ensure that these stories continue to inspire and educate for years to come.
We are exceptionally grateful for this transformative support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund which, together with other grants and the generous donations of private individuals, brings the finish line of our campaign within reach. But we still need your help to make this vision a reality. Join one of our giving groups today and be part of a new chapter in the history of the EES and British Egyptology.