Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, has been named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, securing the £120,000 prize—the largest of its kind in the global museum sector. The award was announced at the Museum of Liverpool in a ceremony attended by leading figures from the UK cultural landscape, with comedian Phil Wang presenting the accolade to Beamish’s Chief Executive, Rhiannon Hiles.
This year’s award places Beamish at the centre of national attention, recognising a museum that has long held a special place in the cultural life of the North East. A sprawling, open-air site in County Durham, Beamish is unlike any other museum in the UK: its 350 acres are not merely an archive of the past but a stage for lived history. Here, costumed interpreters, reconstructed buildings, and hands-on experiences allow visitors to step into the lives of those who shaped the region across the Georgian, Edwardian, mid-20th-century, and post-war periods.
Now in its 55th year, Beamish has deepened its community-led mission through the recently completed Remaking Beamish project. A monumental effort years in the making, the initiative involved 32,000 local contributors, 14,000 schoolchildren, and 35,000 volunteer hours to build 31 new exhibits – including a meticulously reconstructed 1950s town. The Aged Miners’ Homes, another major addition, reflect early examples of social care in County Durham, foregrounding working-class history often overlooked in traditional museum narratives.
Jenny Waldman, Director of Art Fund and chair of this year’s judging panel, praised Beamish as “a museum brought to life by people.” The jury was particularly struck by the quality of the visitor experience, the level of detail across the site, and the staff and volunteers’ passion for storytelling. “Beamish is a shining example of how museums enrich and celebrate local communities,” Waldman said.
Last year, Beamish welcomed over 838,000 visitors, making it the most-visited attraction in the North East. Its education programme reaches around 40,000 schoolchildren each year and is known for integrating STEM learning into its historical displays. The museum has also recently received the Travellers’ Choice Award and the National Visitor Welcome Award at the 2024 Museums + Heritage Awards.
Beamish stood out from a strong shortlist of five finalists, which included Chapter (Cardiff), Compton Verney (Warwickshire), Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast), and Perth Museum (Perth & Kinross). Each of the other finalists will receive £15,000. This year’s jury, alongside Waldman, included artist Rana Begum, Tate’s Dr David Dibosa, Amgueddfa Cymru’s Jane Richardson, and comedian Phil Wang.
The Art Fund Museum of the Year prize is funded by National Art Pass members, whose support enables UK museums to acquire art, deliver ambitious exhibitions, and reach broader audiences. While the prize celebrates the outstanding work of the winner and finalists, it also serves as a reminder of the essential role museums play in shaping local identity, creativity, and civic pride across the country.
Winners of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2013 – 2024:
2024 – Young V&A, London
2023 – The Burrell Collection, Glasgow
2022 – Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
2021 – Firstsite, Colchester
2020 – Aberdeen Art Gallery; Gairloch Museum; Science Museum; South London Gallery; and Towner Eastbourne.
2019 – St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
2018 – Tate St Ives
2017 – The Hepworth, Wakefield
2016 – Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London
2015 – Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
2014 – Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
2013 – William Morris Gallery, London
Winners of The Art Fund Prize 2008 – 2012:
2012 – Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter
2011 – British Museum
2010 – Ulster Museum, Belfast
2009 – Wedgwood Museum, Stoke-on-Trent,
2008 – The Lightbox, Woking