Glasgow Burrell Collection and Orkney Scapa Flow shortlisted for Museum Of The Year award

Two venues in Scotland have been shortlisted for a £120,000 prize and the chance to be named Museum of the Year.

Glasgow’s Burrell Collection and the Scapa Flow Museum in Orkney will be competing alongside three other institutions from across the UK in the tenth year of the world’s largest museum prize.

The award, presented by the Art Fund, celebrates the resilience, creativity and imagination of UK museums.

Organisers said the nominees “demonstrate transformational impact, redeveloping their offers with diverse and inspiring stories at their heart and responding to vital issues of today”.

The Scapa Flow Museum tells the story of the area’s role during the two world wars and the Burrell Collection also holds the art collection of Sir William Burrell and his wife Lady Constance.

London’s Natural History Museum, Leighton House and the MAC in Belfast are also in the running for the award.

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Jenny Waldman, the director of the Art Fund, said: “The five Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023 finalists are at the top of their game, offering inspirational collections and programmes for their communities, for visitors from across the UK and around the world.

“From transformational redevelopment to community involvement to addressing the major issues of today, the shortlisted museums may operate at very different scales, but all show astonishing ambition and boundless creativity.

“Each is a blueprint for future innovation in museums. Visit them if you possibly can.”

Alongside Ms Waldman, the panel also includes artist Larry Achiampong, historian and broadcaster Dame Mary Beard, author Abadesi Osunsade, and Laura Pye, the director of National Museums Liverpool.

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.

This year marks ten years of the prize, which is grounded in 50 years of championing the UK’s 2,500 museums, galleries and heritage sites.

This year the prize fund has been increased by £20,000 from the past £100,000 amount to mark 120 years of the Art Fund supporting museums.

The other nominees will each be given £15,000.

The winning museum will be announced at a ceremony at the British Museum in London on July 12.