Making the shortlist for one of the most prestigious museum prizes in the world is a pretty mean feat in and of itself. It’s particularly impressive, however, when you’ve only been open for ten months. Enter Young V&A.
Every year, national art charity, Art Fund, shortlists five outstanding museums for their highly-esteemed Museum of the Year award. And this year, two London spots made the final five. One of which is the creativity-sparking, joy-inducing Young V&A – which only opened its doors last year, after a £13 million transformation.
About the Young V&A
Young V&A has been especially designed to spark creativity and imagination in children and young people. A space for its visitors to play, design, imagine and be inspired; Young V&A has over 2000 toys, characters, objects, and artworks on display from around the world and across history.
Offering three innovative and exciting permanent galleries (Play, Imagine and Design) and a temporary exhibition space; the trail-blazing museum opened on July 1, 2023 having followed a brief to create ‘the world’s most joyful museum’. Young V&A strives to energise and empower young creators and support the teaching or art and design education.
Following its opening, Young V&A received hugely positive praise for its ambitious approach to child-centred museum experiences. Having welcomed almost 600,000 people since opening, it’s clear that Young V&A has a hugely positive impact to the lives of young people and their families.
About Art Fund’s Museum of the Year prize
Art Fund has been helping the UK’s museums, galleries and historic houses thrive for 120 years. Raising millions of pounds each year; the national art charity enables museums to buy and share exciting art works, connect with their communities, and inspire the next generation of art-lovers and culture vultures.
Since 2013, Art Fund have been amplifying the museum sector with their prestigious Museum of the Year prize – the world’s largest museum prize. The accolade recognises inspiring projects and commends spaces based on their community engagement, their sustainability, their ambitions and their innovation. Art Fund is powered by the 135,000 members who buy a National Art Pass, as well as the donors, trusts and foundations that support the charity.
London’s legendary National Portrait Gallery has also made the Museum of the Year shortlist, alongside the Craven Museum, Dundee Contemporary Arts, and Manchester Museum. The winning museum will be crowned at a ceremony at the National Gallery on July 10, receiving not only the ultimate bragging rights, but a whopping £120,000. The other four finalists will also receive £15,000.
Dr Helen Charman, Director of Young V&A, said: “It’s been a thrilling year of firsts for Young V&A – and we’re delighted to be in the running for Art Fund’s prestigious Museum of the Year prize, alongside a brilliant range of finalists. We designed Young V&A with and for our youngest audiences and their grown-ups. Tasked by children to create ‘the world’s most joyful museum’ and underpinned by the vital role of creativity and play in children’s lives, Young V&A is an uplifting, child-centred space to have fun, be imaginative, and take inspiration from the V&A’s incredible collections. It’s an honour to be recognised by Art Fund for this, and we can’t wait to welcome the judges – and more people – to experience Young V&A.”
Find out more about Young V&A and plan your visit here.