UK Museums Turn to Licensing Deals as Funding Cuts Bite
In response to funding reductions, UK museums are increasingly turning to licensing agreements to bolster their finances. The Natural History Museum has partnered with the Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel to offer a family suite for £724 per night, complete with bunk beds shaped like Tyrannosaurus rex. Last year, sales of licensed products in the UK rose by 7% to $19.2bn (£14.5bn), with 'art property' increasing by over 8% and 'attractions and promotions' skyrocketing by 53%. Louisa Skevington, the licensing manager, highlighted a 15% annual growth in their licensing initiatives. Previous collaborations have included a paint line from Farrow & Ball and a dinosaur-patterned collection from Lucy & Yak. The Brand Licensing Europe conference in London showcases new participants like Tate Enterprises and the National Gallery, while the British Museum features merchandise from a partnership with Liberty.
Key facts
- UK sales of licensed merchandise and services grew 7% to $19.2bn (£14.5bn) last year, per Licensing International.
- The 'art property' category grew over 8%, while 'attractions and promotions' soared 53%.
- The Natural History Museum's licensing programme grows about 15% year on year, according to Louisa Skevington.
- The Natural History Museum family suite at Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel costs from £724 per night.
- Brand Licensing Europe conference in London features new exhibitors: National Gallery, National Trust for Scotland, Ashmolean Museum, and Tate Enterprises.
- The British Museum's Bayeux tapestry merchandise, including a Liberty collaboration, was featured in Vogue.
- The V&A launched 63 product ranges in 2025, including CASETiFY phone cases and Samsung 'the Frame' TV art.
- The British Museum's collection contains over 8m objects; the V&A has 2.8m objects.
Entities
Artists
- Sir Richard Owen
- Werner
- William Morris
Institutions
- Natural History Museum
- British Museum
- Park Plaza London Riverbank
- Farrow & Ball
- Lucy & Yak
- Sandbox
- Licensing International
- Brand Licensing Europe
- National Gallery
- National Trust for Scotland
- Ashmolean Museum
- Tate Enterprises
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Imperial War Museum
- Liberty
- Vogue
- CASETiFY
- Samsung
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Oxford