The Royal Society has announced “Places of Science”, a new funding scheme for small museums in Britain.

The programme, which will award grants of up to £3,000 (US$3,800, €3,300) to successful applicants, is intended to encourage museums to engage with their respective localities through science storytelling.

By incentivising the telling of stories which emphasise the important role of science in local communities, Places of Science is expected to contribute to the sustainability of local-level museums. Jonathan Ashmore, a neuroscientist at UCL and chair of the allocation panel, has praised the scheme, noting that science – as a driver of local economies – is an “important source of history, identity, and cultural heritage”.

"Museums across the UK are under increasing financial pressure," said Museums Association director, Sharon Heal, who also sits on the Places of Science allocation panel.

"Funding streams like this, which allow them to explore new creative projects and engage with their local communities through inspiring science events are crucial to their survival. I'm looking forward to seeing the applications from the UK's diverse museum sector, and excited to watch the chosen projects flourish within their local communities and beyond."

The programme is expected to be a welcome financial boon to museums across the UK that have been strapped with significant expenses and limited access to support. Places of Science is a successor of sorts to Local Heroes, The Royal Society’s former funding scheme for museums. Applications, which open 13 August, can only be made by those institutions which both receive fewer than 65,000 visitors per year and earn less than £200,000 (US$254,000, €225,000) in annual revenue.