Chiltern Open Air Museum Awarded Grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund

The grant will go towards enhancing accessibility to heritage.

Chiltern Open Air Museum is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a grant of £239,949 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support its Pathways to Heritage project. This four-year initiative is designed to improve accessibility, enhance interpretation, and provide valuable training opportunities in the heritage sector.

The Pathways to Heritage project will fund four paid traineeships at the museum, providing hands-on experience and professional development in heritage management. The grant will also support staff training, ensuring that the museum team is equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to make heritage more inclusive. Additionally, the funding will be used to implement access and interpretation improvements, removing barriers and making the museum’s collection more engaging and available to a wider audience.

“We are thrilled to receive this generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund,” said Martin Curtis, Chief Executive at Chiltern Open Air Museum. “This funding will allow us to open doors—both figuratively and literally—making heritage more accessible to all visitors, while also nurturing the next generation of heritage professionals.”

Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: 

“We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.”

Chiltern Open Air Museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of the Chilterns through rescued historic buildings and immersive experiences. This project aligns with the museum’s mission to ensure that heritage remains open and engaging for everyone, regardless of background or ability.

The museum extends its gratitude to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, whose contributions make such vital projects possible. The Pathways to Heritage project is set to begin in April, with applications for the traineeships now open visit www.coam.org.uk (external site) for further details.