New scheme to fund free school visits to local museums in Wales

Emily Price

A new scheme funded by the Welsh Government will enable state-maintained schools in Wales to visit local museums for free.

The Museum Visits Bursary scheme was launched by the Group for Education in Museums on Wednesday (July 1).

It will cover 100% of the costs of visits in a bid to remove financial barriers so that all children in Wales can benefit from their cultural heritage.

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Cost

National museums in Wales such as St Fagans National Museum of History and the National Museum Cardiff offer free admission.

But many Cadw sites - such as Caerphilly Castle - require an admission fee to help cover the costs of maintenance and upkeep.

The new scheme will allow schools in Wales to apply for bursaries of up to £1,000 to cover the entire cost of a museum visit, including transport, entrance fees, workshops, and staffing costs.

The bursary requires no match-funding, making it easier for teachers to give their students the opportunity to explore Wales' rich history and culture.

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Learning

Local museums offer valuable, curriculum for Wales relevant learning opportunities across humanities, science and technology, art, and health and wellbeing, supporting interactive learning in a vibrant cultural setting.

Bursaries will be awarded on a first-come, first-served rolling basis while funds are available up to the end of February 2026.

Schools are encouraged to check and reserve dates with their chosen museum before submitting their application to GEM.

Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant, said: "Our local museum network is a fantastic resource for children to learn more about how
the history of their local area fits into the story of Wales.

"This is something that is key to the cynefin focus of our curriculum. But financial barriers can often prevent schools from accessing these learning experiences, so we're providing funding to remove those obstacles.

"The Museum Visits Bursary scheme will give children and young people across Wales the opportunity to understand not just where they come from, but how their communities contribute to the rich tapestry of Welsh culture and identity."

Karin Molson, Chair of GEM Cymru and MonLife Heritage Learning Manager, said:
"Transport costs are a really big barrier to school visits in Wales.

"This new scheme will give a fantastic boost for both local museums and schools in Wales."

For further information and the application form please visit here.