MUSEUM OF BRANDS
Registered charity 1093538 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as MUSEUM OF BRANDS, PACKAGING AND ADVERTISING, MUSEUM OF PACKAGING AND ADVERTISING
The object of the charity are to advance the education of the public in design and in particular the subjects of advertising and packaging history. Establish and maintain a museum of advertising and packaging to be open to the public for displaying exhibitions.
Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the charity suffered a significant loss of £142,334 in 2024, resulting in unrestricted reserves decreasing to £43,053. This figure is significantly below the trustees' stated policy target of covering six months of operational costs, approximately £290,000. The trustees note that the charity has been forced to eat into its reserves and only expects to build a small increase in cash reserves within the next three years.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £43k; policy: six months of operational costs, approximately £290,000)
“The Trustees consider the minimum level of reserves target to be covering six months of operational costs, approximately £290,000. The unrestricted reserves as at 31 December 2024 was £43,053”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Museum of Brands Trading Limited
“These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly-owned subsidiary Museum of Brands Trading Limited on a line by line basis.” — page 25
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Goldwins Chartered Accountants. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- DCMS — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- National Lottery Heritage Fund — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- City Bridge Trust — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- Linbury Trust — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- Garfield Weston Foundation — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- The Marketors’ Trust — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- Kusuma Trust — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea — “Our work is supported by generous grants from DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund, City Bridge Trust, Linbury Trust, Garfield Weston Founda…” (source page)
- The DS Smith Charitable Foundation — “The boxes were designed and produced in partnership with DS Smith, a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, with funding from …” (source page)
Property (HM Land Registry)
1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Cost of raising funds
£32k
Reported reserves equal ~0.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (49% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Kensington And Chelsea
Income and spending
Common questions
Is MUSEUM OF BRANDS financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity suffered a significant loss of £142,334 in 2024, resulting in unrestricted reserves decreasing to £43,053. This figure is significantly below the trustees' stated policy target of covering six months of operational costs, approximately £290,000. The trustees note that the charity has been forced to eat into its reserves and only expects to build a small increase in cash reserves within the next three years. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Goldwins Chartered Accountants.
Who funds MUSEUM OF BRANDS?
Funders whose own accounts filings name MUSEUM OF BRANDS as a grant recipient include KUSUMA TRUST UK.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.