HONOUR THE LEGACY. SECURE THE FUTURE.
The Gurkhas have served Britain for more than 210 years. Now it is our turn to serve their legacy.
For more than two centuries, Gurkhas have stood alongside Britain, in war and peace, across continents and generations. Their courage is legendary. Their loyalty is enduring. Their contribution to Britain and global security is extraordinary. But behind the reputation are thousands of individual lives: soldiers and families, triumphs and tragedies, friendships forged far from home, and stories that deserve to be remembered. The Gurkha Museum Trust exists to make sure those stories are never lost.
Now, we are creating a Museum worthy of the Gurkhas. This is Project Kaida. A transformation of The Gurkha Museum into an international must-visit heritage attraction and the global reference centre for Gurkha heritage. And we need you to help us secure its future.
A STORY THAT MUST NOT BE LOST.
The Gurkha story is unlike any other. It is a story of Nepal and Britain. Of service and sacrifice. Of courage, duty and friendship. Of people who left their homes in Nepal to serve around the world, and of generations who followed them. It is also a living story.
Gurkhas continue to serve today. Their families continue to build lives between Nepal and Britain. New generations continue to shape what it means to be Gurkha.
The story continues today, and so our Museum cannot simply preserve the past. It must capture the present, open the archives, welcome new audiences and inspire the generations who will carry this heritage forward. That is why Project Kaida matters.
WHY NOW?
The Museum has been in its Winchester home for more than three decades. Since it opened, the Brigade of Gurkhas has changed. Nepal has changed. Britain has changed. The conflicts in which Gurkhas serve have changed. And the way people discover, understand and experience history has changed too. Our public galleries on the ground and first floors served the Museum well, but could not share the whole story in the way it deserves to be told. The Museum needs to be more accessible. More engaging. More connected. More representative. Above all, it needs to tell a 210-year story as a living story. Project Kaida gives us that opportunity.
WHAT IS ‘KAIDA’?
Kaida is a Nepali word associated with the ethos, customs and heritage of the Brigade of Gurkhas. It is the distinctive way of doing things that has helped shape the Gurkhas’ identity and service for more than two centuries. There is something deeply fitting about that name. Because Project Kaida is about change, and it is about moving forward without forgetting where we came from. As the Nepali proverb says: “Change to progress, but do not forget your heritage.” That is the spirit of Project Kaida.
FIVE OBJECTIVES. ONE SHARED FUTURE.
Project Kaida brings together five ambitions. Together, they will change what the Museum can do and who it can reach.
- DELIVERING A NEW MUSEUM EXPERIENCE – संग्रहालयकोनयाँ गतिशील अनुभव
The redevelopment of the ground and first floor public galleries will ensure you see the Gurkha story differently. Step inside the new galleries and the story will no longer simply be something you read about. It will be something you encounter. Remarkable objects. Personal voices. Powerful images. Interactive experiences. Stories of ordinary people alongside extraordinary acts of courage. The new public galleries will explore not only where Gurkhas fought, but who they were, where they came from, what they believed, and what service meant to them. For the first-time visitor, it will open a door into a remarkable world. For those who already know the story, it will reveal more of it. And for Gurkha families and Nepalese communities, it will provide a place where their heritage can be seen, recognised and celebrated. A Museum that does justice to the Gurkhas’ story.
- INSPIRING CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS – वर्तमानर भविष्यको सन्तानहरुलाई प्रोत्साहन
Our community and outreach programme will share the stories and give future generations reasons to care. The future of heritage belongs to those who come next. Through schools, family activities, exhibitions, talks, travelling displays, community projects and digital learning, we are taking Gurkha stories beyond the Museum walls. We want a child to discover the Gurkhas. A young Nepali person to recognise their heritage. A family to discover a connection they never knew existed. And someone who knows nothing about Gurkhas to leave inspired and grateful. That moment matters. Because curiosity becomes understanding. Understanding becomes connection. And connection is how heritage survives.
- PROTECTING THE COLLECTION THROUGH DIGITALISATION – विधुतीयमाध्यमद्वारा संकलनको सुरक्षा
Save the stories that cannot be replaced. Some of our most precious heritage exists only once. A photograph. A letter. A handwritten record. A veteran’s recollection. A document that has survived decades in a family home. Once lost, it cannot simply be recreated. Our digitalisation will allow us to protect these treasures and make them accessible far beyond Winchester. A pupil studying the world wars at school. A Gurkha family in Nepal. A veteran in Britain. A researcher on the other side of the world. A young person discovering their family’s story for the first time. The Museum can become a doorway to Gurkha heritage wherever you are.
- DELIVERING A NEW RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTRE – संग्रहालयकोनयाँ शिक्षा अनुसंधान केन्द्र
Making knowledge a living thing. On the second floor, more than 3,500 books on Gurkha heritage and Nepali culture sit alongside regimental journals, historic records and personal material. The new research and education centre gives this extraordinary knowledge a home. Researchers can investigate. Families can trace their histories. Children can discover. Communities can gather. Experts can share what they know, and we can all ask new questions. Because preserving heritage is not enough. We must make it possible for people to discover it.
- SECURING A LASTING LEGACY – इतिहासकोसंरक्षण गर्नु
Developing something that lasts. Project Kaida is not simply a building project. It is a commitment to the next generation. The new galleries. The education programme. The digitalised collections. The research centre. The community connections. The digital future. Each is part of something bigger: a Museum capable of protecting, preserving and promoting Gurkha heritage for decades to come. When the contractors leave, our responsibility will remain. The next chapter of the Gurkha story will already be underway. To adopt a Nepalese phrase “यो अन्त्य शुरुआत हो, this end is the beginning”.
FROM WINCHESTER TO THE WORLD.
The Museum may be in Winchester, however, Gurkha heritage belongs far beyond Winchester. Project Kaida will connect collections and communities across Britain, Nepal and the wider world. It will create a place where a veteran can return to a familiar story; where a family can discover its past; where a researcher can uncover something new; where a schoolchild can encounter a history they had never imagined; and where the international community can better understand one of the world’s most remarkable military traditions. This is not simply a museum for Gurkhas. It will be a museum through which the world can discover the Gurkhas.
WE ARE ALREADY BUILDING THE FUTURE
Project Kaida is not just a vision. It is happening. For over five years, the Museum, the Brigade of Gurkhas, our partners and supporters have worked together to turn an ambitious idea into reality. Our key achievements are:
✓ Vision. In 2021, we began with extensive consultations, listening to our audiences, communities, stakeholders and the Brigade of Gurkhas to shape a shared vision for the Museum’s future. From this to the global reference and educational centre for Gurkha heritage.
✓ Support. From 2022, the Brigade of Gurkhas’ Education and Welfare Fund significantly increased its contribution through the Service Day Pay Giving Scheme, demonstrating the strength of the Brigade’s commitment to its heritage.
✓ Funding. In 2023, we secured development funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, enabling the project to move from vision to delivery. Our fundraising appeal commences.
✓ Research and education. Our library was transformed into a dedicated research, reference and education centre to create a new home for discovery, learning and scholarship.
✓ Design. The new public galleries have progressed through detailed design, turning the vision for a completely new Museum experience into reality. RIBA Stage 2 plans can be viewed here.
✓ People. New funded roles have joined the Museum team, strengthening our capacity for digitalisation, learning, community engagement and outreach.
✓ Reaching out. Our community outreach programme is building new relationships and bringing Gurkha heritage to more people, in more places.
✓ Sharing the vision. Our Project Kaida short films have taken the story beyond Winchester. The Nepali version was recognised with a Smiley Charity Film Award and can be watched here. The English version can be watched here.
✓ Making it happen. In August 2024, we submitted our second-round National Lottery Heritage Fund application, taking another major step towards delivery. Other major funders added their support.
✓ Ready to build. The project progressed through RIBA Stage 3 developed design and spatial coordination, bringing the new galleries closer to construction. The plans can be seen here.
✓ Permission to start. In March 2025, the National Lottery Heritage Fund gave us permission to start.
✓ Securing the collection. The Brigade of Gurkha collections were carefully decanted from the galleries by conservation specialists. Every object was packed, catalogued and moved into secure storage while the transformation took place.
✓ Design complete. The technical design for the new galleries was completed, allowing the project to move into construction.
✓ Redeveloping the public galleries. Following a competitive process involving construction companies from across the industry, a contractor was appointed to deliver the construction works.
✓ Building works. Throughout 2026 contractors have been onsite transforming the Museum. Contractors have created a new accessible entrance, family-friendly toilets, and a platform lift connecting the ground and first-floor galleries. Internal walls have been removed to open up the galleries, with new electrics, security systems, lighting, flooring and decoration creating the foundations for the new visitor experience. The galleries have also been prepared for the spectacular multi-floor cultural sculpture that will form the centrepiece of the new galleries.
✓ The collection returns. In August 2026, the Brigade of Gurkhas’ collection returned from secure storage as the Museum entered the intensive final phase of exhibition installation.
✓ The digital future begins. In September 2026, the first batch of Brigade of Gurkhas’ archives was sent to The British Library for digitisation, beginning a new chapter in making Gurkha heritage accessible around the world.
NOW WE LOOK FORWARD
The building work is taking us towards the reopening of the public galleries, but Project Kaida is much bigger than the building.
→ Secure the future. We are continuing our fundraising campaign to match the National Lottery Heritage Fund investment and ensure the Museum has the resources it needs for the future. Meet some of our fundraisers here.
→ Keep listening. Consultation with the Brigade, communities, partners and stakeholders continues. Your voice matters too.
→ Open the collection to the world. Our digitalisation programme will continue to transform how people discover, research and connect with Gurkha heritage, wherever they are.
→ Keep the story moving. Our learning, community and outreach programme will continue to take Gurkha heritage into schools, communities and new audiences across the UK and beyond.
→ Countdown to re-opening the public galleries has commenced. 10 February 2027 is the planned opening of the public galleries to the public.
Throughout the capital works, the second floor of the Museum remains open and operational with temporary exhibitions, talks, family activities, school visits, Museum shop, offices, library and research space all open. Become a Friend of the Gurkhas, visit our Whats-On webpage, or contact the Museum to discover more.
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING – यो अन्त्य शुरुआत हो
When the new galleries re-open, Project Kaida will have transformed the Museum, but its greatest impact will be measured in what happens next. From a Museum in Winchester to a global reference centre for Gurkha heritage. From preserving the past to shaping the future. We are nearly there. Help us take the final steps.
HELP US WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER.
A transformation of this scale is only possible because people believe this story matters. Project Kaida is a £5.2 million investment in the future of Gurkha heritage. The project has already received remarkable support from the Brigade of Gurkhas, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and generous individuals and organisations. We are now asking others to stand with us.
Perhaps you served alongside Gurkhas. Perhaps a Gurkha served before you. Perhaps someone you love served. Perhaps you are part of the Nepali community. Or perhaps you simply believe that an extraordinary story of courage, sacrifice and friendship deserves to be remembered. Whatever brings you here, there is a place for you in this story.
MAKE YOUR MARK
You do not have to give a fortune to make a difference. A gift can help protect a unique photograph. Preserve a veteran’s story. Open an archive to the world. Inspire a child. Support a school visit. Help create a Museum where future generations can understand what the Gurkhas have given, and continue to give.
And for those who wish to make a larger contribution, there are opportunities to create a permanent personal or family connection with the redeveloped public galleries through commemorative plaques, named spaces, exhibitions, education and research. You can honour someone who served. You can celebrate your family. You can remember your unit. Or you can simply say: thank you. Every contribution helps secure the future.
YOUR NAME. THEIR STORY. OUR FUTURE.
There is something powerful about seeing a name within a museum. A name of a parent; a grandparent; a friend; a unit; a generation. It says ‘I was here. I remember. I believe this story matters.’ Through Project Kaida, supporters have the opportunity to leave that mark within the redeveloped Museum. Not simply as a donor. As part of the story.
EXPLORE WAYS TO SUPPORT PROJECT KAIDA
THIS IS MORE THAN A MUSEUM. It is a place of memory. A place of learning. A place of pride. A place to express gratitude. A place of friendship between two nations. A place where the past can speak to the present. And a place where the next generation can discover what it means to serve. For more than 210 years, the Gurkhas have stood alongside Britain. Now we must stand alongside their heritage.
HONOUR THE LEGACY. SECURE THE FUTURE. Will you be part of the next chapter?
DONATE TODAY ONLINE AND BECOME PART OF PROJECT KAIDA
The Gurkhas have served for more than 210 years. Now it is our turn to serve their legacy.
THE GURKHA MUSEUM TRUST is The Brigade of Gurkhas’ heritage charity (Registered Charity No. 1169920).
Contact the Development Team on (+44) 01962 842832 (ext 4). Development@TheGurkhaMuseum.co.uk
