Craven Museum © Hydar Dewachi; Dundee Contemporary Arts © Erika Stevenson; Manchester Museum © Tobias Longmate; National Portrait Gallery © Olivier Hess
The winner of the £120,000 prize will be announced by Art Fund in July
Art Fund, the UK’s national charity for art, has announced the five museums selected as finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024.
Craven Museum in North Yorkshire, Dundee Contemporary Art, Manchester Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery and Young V&A in London are up for the £120,000 prize, announced on 10 July 2024.
A further £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists – bringing the total prize money to £180,000.
The 2024 judging panel will now visit each of the finalists to inform their decision-making.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, the panel’s chair and Director of Art Fund Jenny Waldman said: “Each of our finalists truly has something for everyone and all have community at the very heart of their programming.
The 2024 nominees
Craven Museum (Skipton, North Yorkshire) – embedded in Skipton Town Hall cultural hub, the museum covers archaeology, textiles, fine art, literature and social history from pre-history to present day.
Dundee Contemporary Arts (Dundee) – one of Scotland’s foremost contemporary arts organisations featuring two art galleries, a two-screen cinema, a print studio and award-winning learning programme.
Manchester Museum (Manchester) – over 130 years old and home to around four and a half million objects from natural sciences and human cultures, Manchester Museum reopened in February 2023 following an extensive renovation.
National Portrait Gallery (London) – the NPG tells the story of the United Kingdom through six centuries of portraiture, from global icons to local champions, national treasures to unsung heroes. The Gallery reopened in June 2023 following a major three-year transformation project.
Young V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum (London) – reopening in July 2023, the museum (formerly the V&A Museum of Childhood) was created with and for children and young people, to spark creativity now and for the future, with spaces to imagine, play and design.
“Their commitment to innovative partnerships whilst operating within an extremely challenging funding environment is incredible, and I’m so pleased to see the way they support and centre young people through their work.”
Embedded in Skipton Town Hall cultural hub, the Craven Museum covers archaeology, textiles, fine art, literature and social history from prehistory to present day. Dundee Contemporary Arts is one of Scotland’s foremost contemporary arts organisations and features two art galleries, a two-screen cinema, a print studio and an award-winning learning programme.
Manchester Museum, is one of three shortlist museums to reopen last year following an extensive renovation. It houses around four and a half million objects from natural sciences and human cultures.
The National Portrait Gallery reopened in June 2023, following a major three-year transformation project, and Young V&A, formerly the V&A Museum of Childhood reopened in July 2023.
