Applications are open for this AIM Pilgrim Trust scheme which supports small to medium sized museums to care for their collections more effectively and efficiently and to meet the standards required for Accreditation.

Members of the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) can apply to the three schemes which are available.

Collections Care Audits grants are a good starting point before making an application to the Collections Care or Remedial Conservation schemes, if your museum has not previously received professional conservation advice. They enable smaller museum members to undertake a basic professional collections care audit by an accredited conservator to help identify key collection care issues and priorities. The grants of £1,200 plus travel and VAT (if applicable) are paid retrospectively.

Collections Care grants help small to medium AIM member museums, to develop a more sustainable approach to the conservation and management of collections through improvements to collections care. Grants of up to £10,000 are available to enable museums to receive tailored, specialist advice, purchase equipment to implement advice and train staff and volunteers. Projects should enable a step-change in the quality of collections care that a museum can provide.

Remedial Conservation Scheme grants help museums fund the conservation of objects in their collections with grants of up to £10,000 to conserve objects that are part of a museum’s permanent collection. Museums are expected to have a conservation plan for selected objects but they need not be those at most risk in your collection.

The closing date for the Autumn round will close at 5pm on Friday 29 September 2023.

For full details and to apply, visit the AIM Collections, Care & Conservation Grants webpage.