Shortlisted to win Museum of the Year award 2018

The Postal Museum has been announced as a finalist in the competition to win the biggest museum prize in the world; the Museum of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the V&A Museum in London on Thursday 5 July 2018, following a final round of judging taking place throughout May and June.

Supported by Art Fund, the £100,000 prize is designed to get to the heart of what makes a truly outstanding museum, seeking out innovation and exceptional achievement in museums and galleries all across the UK, and working to encourage more people to visit.

Among other things, the judges – Ian Blatchford, director of the Science Museum Group; Rebecca Jones, BBC arts correspondent; Melanie Manchot, artist; and Monisha Shah, independent media consultant and Art Fund trustee – will be looking for:

• Bold and imaginative exhibitions, collection displays or collection conservation projects
• Learning programmes that have developed the skills, knowledge and enjoyment of children, young people and adults in new ways
• Exceptional acquisitions that have had a real impact on the museum and its audiences
• Audience engagement, diversity or access initiatives that have greatly broadened participation, and creative use of technology or digital media
• Substantial programmes of modernisation, reorganisation or reinterpretation that have had a transformative impact
• New building, refurbishments or reinventions of existing spaces that have had a strong impact on the museum and its audiences

Simon Opie, interim CEO at The Postal Museum, said: “Just being shortlisted for this incredible award is a fantastic honour, and recognition of the work the team has done in putting our brand new museum on the map.  To win would be an exceptional acknowledgement of what we have achieved so far and can offer to the public, and would also open up a wealth of opportunities for us to make our museum even better; from enhancing accessibility to continuing to develop the innovative spirit we have fostered, ensuring it runs through everything we do.”

Winners over the past six years have been The Hepworth Wakefield (2017), the V&A (2016), The Whitworth (2015), Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2014), William Morris Gallery (2013) and Royal Albert Memorial Museum (2012).

In addition to The Postal Museum, this year’s finalists include Brooklands, Surrey; Ferens Gallery, Hull; Glasgow Women’s Library, Glasgow; and Tate St Ives, Cornwall.