Open-air attraction in County Durham wins Museum of the Year

An open-air museum in County Durham that features faithful recreations of old homes, shops, farms and a colliery has won the annual award for the UK’s museum of the year.

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, brings the history of the region from the 1820s to the 1950s to life through a series of immersive exhibits.

The museum, which opened in 1972 and aims to preserve local heritage, will receive £120,000 prize money.

Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, the chair of the judges, described Beamish as “a joyous, immersive and unique place” that had been “a jewel in the crown of the North East for 55 years”.

The museum allows visitors to travel back in time to look around replica towns, villages and working landscapes from bygone days, meeting costumed staff and volunteers to experience stories of everyday life.

In the past year, the museum has completed its Remaking Beamish project, which saw the opening of a 1950s town, developed with input from local people who had first-hand knowledge of that era.

The recreated town includes a milk bar, pub, a photographer’s studio, transport such as trams and old cars, and shops including a confectioner’s.

The project saw 32,000 local residents and 14,000 schoolchildren contribute to 31 new exhibits.

The past 12 months have also seen the museum open a string of miners’ cottages, which tell the story of the pioneering welfare provision for retired workers in County Durham.

Beamish had more than 830,000 visitors last year.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the award “recognises the extraordinary contribution that Beamish has made to celebrate the heritage of the North East”.

Waldman added: “The judges were blown away by the remarkable attention to detail of its exhibits across a 350-acre site and by the passion of its staff and volunteers.

“With three quarters of adults in the North East of England saying museums make them proud of where they live, Beamish is a shining example of how museums enrich and celebrate local communities.”

Fellow judge and comedian Phil Wang said the panel’s visit to the venue “was one of the most fun days I’ve had in years”.

Beamish chief executive Rhiannon Hiles was presented with the £120,000 prize at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool on Thursday.

The other shortlisted museums were:

• Chapter (Cardiff)
• Compton Verney (Warwickshire)
• Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast)
• Perth Museum (Perth & Kinross)

Each finalist will receive £15,000.

The Art Fund Prize was launched in 2008, becoming Museum of the Year in 2013. Last year’s winner was the Young V&A in east London.