Image: The exterior of Manchester Museum (Manchester Museum)
Two UK museums are among nominees for the European Museum of the Year Award 2025, vying to be the first UK winner since 2013.
Manchester Museum and the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich have been announced as the UK-based nominees for the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) 2025.
The two museums will compete against 41 others from across the continent.
The winner will be announced in Białistok, Poland on 25 May 2025.
A main prize will be on offer, alongside categories that recognise community, environmental sustainability and inclusion.
The last time a museum from the UK took home the prize was in the Museum of Liverpool in 2013. Prior to that, the National Waterways Museum in Cheshire was awarded the prize in 1984.
Manchester Museum Director Esme Ward said the museum’s nomination “means an awful lot to the whole team at Manchester Museum because it recognises our efforts to make this a place where everyone belongs.
“The Museum’s redevelopment was about much more than just bricks and mortar, it was about transforming our spaces and our approach to ensure we’re the museum our city and communities need us to be.”
Operated by the European Museum Forum (EMF), the EMYA awards have been run since 1977.
Entries are still open for the Museums + Heritage Awards, with an early-bird rate which ends 30 November 2024.
