Industry News

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North has been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, the world’s largest museum prize.

Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year. The 2025 prize recognises inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2023 through to winter 2024. In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, the judges are tasked with identifying impactful projects that spotlight the wide range of remarkable people, including museum staff and volunteers, who bring museums to life by engaging with communities, families and younger visitors, artists and creatives.

Rhiannon Hiles, Chief Executive of Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, said: “It’s an absolute honour to be a finalist for this prestigious award. We are overjoyed to be shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025 – this reflects the amazing people who make Beamish, our fantastic staff and volunteers, our communities, partners and supporters, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“At Beamish, we have been described as a ‘beating heart of the region’ -- we’re proud to bring the North East’s history to life, while also being an active part of today’s communities, including through health and wellbeing, inclusion and learning.

“It’s absolutely brilliant that the museum has been recognised in this way, as a finalist alongside other wonderful organisations from around the UK. It feels particularly special as the museum celebrates its 55^th anniversary year and the completion of the Remaking Beamish project, the biggest development in our history.”

Beamish is a renowned open-air museum that brings to life the North East of England's Georgian, Edwardian, 1940s and 1950s history, through immersive exhibits where visitors engage with costumed staff and volunteers, and experience regional stories of everyday life.

In the past year, the museum completed its Remaking Beamish project, the biggest development in its 55-year history, which included the recreation of a 1950s Town developed with community input from people with firsthand knowledge of the original spaces. The project involved over 32,000 community members, 14,338 schoolchildren, and 35,000 volunteer hours to create 31 new exhibits within the museum. The opening of aged miners’ homes, which tell the story of the pioneering welfare provision for retired miners in County Durham, also provide a dedicated space for the museum’s award-winning health and wellbeing work.

The museum has been commended for its exceptional visitor experience, receiving the national Visitor Welcome Award at the 2024 Museums + Heritage Awards. The museum provides innovative educational programming for 40,000 schoolchildren annually, using its collections and spaces to inspire learning across disciplines, from local history to science and engineering. In 2024, the museum welcomed over 838,630 visitors and remains the region’s most visited attraction and museum.

The other museums shortlisted are Chapter (Cardiff); Compton Verney (Warwickshire); Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast); Perth Museum (Perth).

The winning museum, recipient of £120,000, will be announced on 26th June at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool, the first time the event will be held outside London. £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists – bringing the total prize money to £180,000.

Chris Loughran, Chair of Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, said: “Beamish is proud to be at the heart of its communities, a museum that is welcoming and inclusive.

“Being shortlisted for the world’s largest museum prize, Art Fund Museum of the Year, following the completion of our ground-breaking Remaking Beamish project, is testament to our incredible people and the exceptional work of everyone involved, underlining the deep and enduring connections forged with our communities and partners.

“As an anchor cultural institution in the region, we are committed to continuing this innovative work, alongside our partners, contributing to culture, wellbeing and the economy, as we develop the museum’s exciting future plans.”

The 2025 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes: Rana Begum (Artist), Dr David Dibosa (Director of Research and Interpretation, Tate), Jane Richardson (Chief Executive, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales) and Phil Wang (Comedian, Writer, Actor). The judges will visit each of the finalists to inform their decision-making, while each museum will make the most of being shortlisted over the summer through events and activities for new and current visitors.

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund said: “Congratulations to Beamish, The Living Museum of the North on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. This year’s finalists are inspiring examples of museums at their best – deeply connected to their local communities, responsive to the world around them, and alive with energy and ideas. Each one offers a distinctive experience, showing the endless creativity and care that goes into making museums inspiring and exciting spaces for everyone. Art Fund is proud to celebrate their work and support their ambition through Art Fund Museum of the Year. We hope people across the UK will be inspired to visit these remarkable places and museums in their local area to discover the powerful role they can play in our lives.”

The prize is funded thanks to the generosity of Art Fund’s members who buy a National Art Pass. Art Pass holders can enjoy 50 per cent off entry (individual Beamish Unlimited Passes) when visiting Beamish, The Living Museum of the North.