Beamish wins UK’s top museum prize
The County Durham attraction brings home £120,000 Art Fund Museum of the Year award for its community-led transformation and immersive visitor experience
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, has been crowned Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, taking home the prestigious £120,000 prize – the largest museum award in the world.
The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the Museum of Liverpool on Thursday, 26 June, where comedian and award judge Phil Wang presented the accolade to Beamish chief executive, Rhiannon Hiles.
“We are incredibly excited and truly elated to be named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025,” she said “To receive such a prestigious award is a real honour, a phenomenal achievement, and is credit to the amazing people who make Beamish such a special place.
“Thank you to our fantastic staff and volunteers and to our communities, visitors, supporters and partners for their support. Our thanks to Art Fund for this award – it has been a privilege to be shortlisted alongside such fantastic museums, a huge well done to all of the finalists.”
Beamish was recognised for its immersive open-air museum experience and the successful completion of its Remaking Beamish project — the largest development in its 55-year history.
The project saw the creation of a 1950s Town, aged miners' homes, and 31 new exhibits, involving more than 32,000 community members, 14,338 schoolchildren, and 35,000 volunteer hours.
“Communities sit at the heart of Beamish. They always have and they always will,” said Chris Loughran, Chair of Beamish. “Beamish is the North East’s leading visitor attraction but it also is the beating heart of our region’s identity and values.
“That’s why I am especially proud of the museum’s work to support wellbeing and learning activities, as a welcoming and inclusive place.”
Judge and Art Fund Director Jenny Waldman praised Beamish as “a joyous, immersive and unique place shaped by the stories and experiences of its community.”
“Warmest congratulations to Beamish on winning Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. You have been a jewel in the crown of the North East for 55 years and I’m sure you’ll continue to delight visitors for many more to come.”
Other finalists – Chapter (Cardiff), Compton Verney (Warwickshire), Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast), and Perth Museum – each received £15,000.
Beamish welcomed over 838,000 visitors in 2024 and continues to be the most visited attraction in the region.