By Adrian Murphy. Main image: Croome Court winners of the Educational Initiative award.
The Museums + Heritage Awards for Excellence 2017 was concluded last night (May 17) with the winners being announced by comedian and author Ian Moore at the Historic State Rooms of 8 Northumberland Avenue in central London
Now celebrating its 16th year, the annual Awards, organised by the sector’s largest event, The Museums + Heritage Show, recognise the innovators and leaders of the UK and international museums, galleries and visitor attractions.
A total of 11 awards were up for grabs with plenty of excitement on social media leading up to the event epitomised by Cresswell Crags Museum, which were shortlisted for the Marketing Award for their Christmas 2016 campaign, which involved their cheeky looking “cave elf” Craggy Elf appearing on promotional material all for a budget of £40.
Bernard Donoghue, M+H Awards judge and Director of Alva set the tone for the evening with and introductory speech on behalf of the judges by saying how inspirational all the shortlistees were and that true to the Craggy Elf campaign “creativity doesn’t have to come with a big price tag.”
Among the night’s big winners were National Museums Scotland who picked up the Permanent Exhibition award for their ten new galleries and the National Trust, which was the recipient of the Special Recognition award bestowed by the judges on individuals or groups for exemplary contributions.
Dame Helen Ghosh, Director General of the National Trust who picked up the award said: “The fact that we as an organisation are able to reach out and touch so many people is because of all of you [our members] and what you do on a day to day basis. We are enormously lucky for that support and to be able to spend more than we ever have been able to on conservation and those kind of experiences, that move, teach and inspire.”
Museums + Heritage Awards 2017 Winners
INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by The Hub
WINNER
Historic Royal Palaces, The Lost Palace
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The National Holocaust Centre and Museum and designers Bright White Ltd, The Forever Project
SHORTLISTED
Mary Rose Trust, Mary Rose Revealed
Sennheiser on behalf of the V&A, Delivering new dimensions of sound for Records and Rebels 1966-1970
Hannah Bruce Company on behalf of Hoxton Hall, The Hoxton Hall Experience: A Collection of Small Choices
Llechwedd Deep Mine at The Slate Caverns, The Deep Mine Tour at Llechwedd Slate Caverns
RESTORATION OR CONSERVATION sponsored by Each Art Unique
WINNER
The Fitzwilliam Museum and the Hamilton Kerr Institute, Restoration of Sebastiano’s Adoration of the Shepherds
HIGHLY COMMENDED
National Museums Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery South End Galleries Development
SHORTLISTED
The Natural History Museum, The Blue Whale Project
Museum of London, Restoration of 17th century fire engine
Royal Museum’s Greenwich, Conservation of the King’s Presence Chamber ceiling
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Command of the Oceans
EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE
WINNER
National Trust – Croome, Potter & Ponder: Sensory Experiences
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Heritage Learning, The Hull Curriculum
SHORTLISTED
Horniman Museum and Gardens, Transforming our service for SEND Schools
Bristol Culture Team, ESOL at Bristol Museums
National Museums Scotland, Science Engagement at the National Museum of Scotland
King’s College London and Partners, My Primary School is at the Museum
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
National Trust
PROJECT ON A LIMITED BUDGET supported by ACE
WINNER
Hallaton in the Great War Research Group, Hallaton in the Great War – Tales of the Unexpected
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association, Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association Museum
SHORTLISTED
Kettering Museum and Art Gallery, Collections Connections
Clumber Park, National Trust, Lost Treasures, The Imagined Mansion
University of Oxford Gardens, Libraries and Museums group and Bate Collection, Out in Oxford
INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR in partnership with AIM sponsored by BDRC
JOINT WINNER
Bailiffgate Museum, Mrs Jane Mann
JOINT WINNER
Museum of Oxford, Oxford City Council, Aaron Lee
SHORTLISTED
Sulgrave Manor Trust, William and Sue Rogers
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Jean Liddy
VOLUNTEER TEAM OF THE YEAR in partnership with AIM sponsored by BDRC
WINNER
People’s History Museum, Community Curators of Never Going Underground: The Fight for LGBT + Rights
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The Musical Museum at Kew Bridge, The Volunteer Team at The Musical Museum
SHORTLISTED
Friends of Windmill Gardens, Friends of Windmill Gardens
Egypt Centre Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, Egypt Centre Volunteers
Bristol Aero Collection Trust – Aerospace Bristol, Bristol Aero Collection Trust (volunteer group)
National Museums Scotland, Young Demonstrators
MARKETING CAMPAIGN sponsored by Volunteer Makers
WINNER
14-18 NOW, Jeremy Deller, Rufus Norris, National Theatre & Birmingham Rep, We’re here because we’re here’
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Royal College of Physicians, Scholar, Courtier, Magician: The Lost Library of John Dee
SHORTLISTED
Durham Cathedral, Durham Cathedral in Lego
Mary Rose Trust, Mary Rose Revealed
Creswell Heritage Trust, Craggy Elf
The Courtauld Gallery, Georgiana Houghton: Spirit Drawings
TEMPORARY OR TOURING EXHIBITION sponsored by Displayways
WINNER
The Novium, Chichester District Council, Tim Peake: An Extraordinary Journey
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Leicester City Arts & Museums Service (Leicester City Council), Fearless Foxes’: Leicester City FC and the Impossible Dream
SHORTLISTED
Royal Museum’s Greenwich, Samuel Pepys: Plague, Fire, Revolution
Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, Fashion Cities Africa
National Memorial Arboretum, Somme En Masse: Mass Installation
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD sponsored by Securitas
WINNER
Helsinki City Museum, The New Helsinki City Museum
JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED
An Post – The Irish Postal Service, GPO Witness History Visitor Centre
JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED
Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp, Have You Met Plantin Yet?
SHORTLISTED
Casson Mann on behalf of La Cite du Vin – City of Bordeaux, La Cite du Vin Permanent Exhibition, Bordeaux, France
Maritime Museum Rotterdam and Kossmann.dejong, Offshore Experience – the search for energy
Tinker imagineers on behalf of the Fort Pannerden Foundation, Experience Fortress Pannerden
PERMANENT EXHIBITION sponsored by Martello Media
WINNER
National Museums Scotland, Ten New Galleries at the National Museum of Scotland
JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mary Rose Trust, Mary Rose Revealed
@MaryRoseMuseum
JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED
IWM (Imperial War Museum), American Air Museum, IWM Duxford
SHORTLISTED
National Trust – Croome, The Return of the Croome Collection
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Shakespeare’s New Place
National Museums Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery South End Galleries Development
