Beamish Museum Earns Art Fund's Prestigious Museum of the Year Award

Beamish, the Living Museum of the North located in County Durham, has achieved a significant milestone by winning the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award, the largest museum prize globally, which includes a £120,000 grant. This accolade was announced on June 26, 2025, during a ceremony held at the Museum of Liverpool, where Rhiannon Hiles, the Chief Executive of Beamish, accepted the award from comedian and judge Phil Wang.

The judges praised Beamish for its 'joyous' and 'immersive' experience, highlighting its unique ability to bring to life the history of northeast England from the Georgian, Edwardian, and mid-20th century eras. Visitors can engage with costumed staff and volunteers, allowing them to experience regional stories of everyday life in an open-air setting that spans over 350 acres. The museum is celebrating its 55th anniversary, a testament to its dedication to preserving local heritage and community engagement.

Jenny Waldman, the Director of Art Fund and chair of the judging panel, described Beamish as 'a jewel in the crown of the north-east.' She noted, 'The remarkable attention to detail in its exhibits, coupled with the passion displayed by the staff and volunteers, truly captivated us.' This sentiment reflects the views of the local community, as evidenced by a survey indicating that three-quarters of adults in the region feel pride in their local museums.

In 2024, Beamish welcomed more than 838,630 visitors, making it the most visited attraction in the area. The museum recently completed its Remaking Beamish project, which entailed the recreation of a 1950s town developed with extensive community input. This initiative engaged over 32,000 residents, involved 14,338 schoolchildren, and accumulated 35,000 volunteer hours to create 31 new exhibits, showcasing the rich history and culture of the region.

The museum also unveiled new exhibits depicting the lives of retired miners, incorporating the story of pioneering welfare provisions in County Durham. Beamish has garnered multiple accolades for its visitor experience, receiving the Travelers’ Choice Award and the National Visitor Welcome Award at the 2024 Museums + Heritage Awards.

Terry Deary, the author of the Horrible Histories series, expressed his admiration for the museum, recalling his experiences there during the 1980s when he performed educational theatre for schoolchildren. He emphasized the importance of teaching young people about historical events, including the impact of war on soldiers returning home.

Beamish was selected from a competitive field of five finalists, which included notable institutions such as Chapter in Cardiff, Compton Verney in Warwickshire, Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast, and Perth Museum in Perth & Kinross, all of which received a £15,000 recognition prize. The UK Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, commended Beamish for its extraordinary contribution to celebrating the heritage of the north-east and its role in showcasing this legacy to the world through its annual influx of visitors.