Museum Shortlisted For National Award
Wrexham County Borough Museum has today been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
The Family Friendly Museum Award was launched earlier this year by Kids in Museums and the Museum in Wrexham town centre has been shortlisted to receive the Award from hundreds of nominations.
The Museum is in good company and shares the shortlist with Egypt Centre Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, Hampton Court Palace, Manchester Art Gallery, National Glass Centre, the Novium Museum, River and Rowing Museum, Towner Art Gallery, Weald and Downland Open Air Museum and York Art Gallery.
The Award is the biggest museum award in Britain – and the only one where families pick the winner.
This year the sponsors are Philip Mould Gallery and Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.
The nomination follows the news recently that the Museum had retained its Quality Assured visitor Attraction status.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities and Partnerships, said:
“This is excellent news for the Museum and shows all the hard work that staff have put in to ensure a family friendly visitor experience. As the summer holidays are now upon us I would highly recommend a visit which will keep everyone entertained.”
Dea Birkett, Creative Director of Kids in Museums said:
“It’s great to see Wrexham Museum on the shortlist – it’s a wonderful place that extends a special welcome to families and children. We wish Wrexham luck when the undercover family judges arrive!”
When speaking to Kids in Museums, their patron, actor Michael Sheen, said:
“It’s great to see an award where children and families pick the winner – giving them a powerful voice on what they want in a museum. Many museums in Wales are doing great work with families, in particular those who haven’t visited before, sharing and supporting new visitors to explore their heritage and culture, and discover those cultures they may not have experienced before. Museums can celebrate our common humanity.”
Over the summer period the museum will be visited anonymously by families using the Kids in Museums Manifesto as a guide to their family friendliness before the winner is announced.
The Manifesto is compiled from visitors’ comments and is used by museums around the country to make children, young people and family visits more enjoyable.
If you or if you know a family who would like to be undercover museum judges and help pick the winner then email award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk
The organisers have also provided two comments from families who made nominations for Wrexham County Borough Museum:
“My autistic son who is 5 loves the museum he loves the exhibits and the archaeology game on the wall which we have to play each time”
“The staff and volunteers go out of their way to be helpful and are constantly putting on events such as messy Museum and the make and Take for the children along with interesting exhibitions which keep the adults occupied while the children play with the objects and games related to the exhibition.”
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales
