Manchester Museum has won the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA), hailed by judges for “balancing globally-significant academic research with community engagement and social responsibility”.
The museum, part of the University of Manchester, is the first university museum to receive the accolade, which is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards of its kind in the world.
It topped a shortlist of 41 museums, including the world-renowned Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Guggenheim in Bilbao.
Judges praised how the museum, on Oxford Road, “reimagined its mission, acknowledging and addressing its complex history by redefining the role of its collections and public programmes”.
The museum – which is free to visit – was also praised for “thoughtful, informed, and impactful community engagement, creating a truly inclusive space where all individuals, regardless of identity or background, can see themselves reflected and represented”.
Esme Ward, director of the Manchester Museum, accepted the award at a ceremony at the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białistok, Poland – winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize last year.
“Museums have the power to be empathy machines – bringing generations and communities together to build understanding, while confronting the past with honesty and transparency,” said Ms Ward.
“More than ever before, we need museums that are values-led, imaginative and confident about what they stand for.”
Operated by the European Museum Forum (EMF), EMYA recognises either new museums or established museums which have undertaken a programme of modernisation. An average of around 45 museums apply each year, from across the 46 member countries.
Two main awards, the EMYA and the Council of Europe Museum Prize, have been awarded continuously since 1977.
