The Burrell Collection has been announced as the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023 winner. Duncan Dornan, Head of Museums and Collections for Glasgow Life, was presented with the £120,000 prize – the largest museum prize in the world – by the artist Sir Grayson Perry at a ceremony at the British Museum, London.
The Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, houses the 9,000-object collection of Sir William and Constance Burrell. Managed by the charity Glasgow Life, King Charles officially reopened it in October 2022 following a significant refurbishment and redisplay, which aimed to celebrate diversity through the museum’s rich and varied collection and create the most accessible, inclusive and sustainable fine and decorative arts museum in the world.
Jenny Waldman, director of Art Fund and chair of the judges for Art Fund Museum of the Year, said: “The Burrell Collection is extraordinary – a world-class collection displayed in an inspirational building, in harmony with the surrounding landscape of Pollok country park. Reopened in 2022, the sensitive renovation and collection redisplay invite exploration and delight, with innovative digital displays offering new ways of understanding the art and objects in the museum’s light, welcoming spaces. All this was achieved with a strong shared purpose and with the involvement of local community groups in Glasgow. Congratulations to the talented team at the Burrell Collection for winning Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023 and to those who invest in supporting its important work. Thanks to them, this museum is truly for everyone to enjoy.”
Mary Beard, historian, broadcaster and judge for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023, said: “The Burrell Collection is a treasure trove of objects to discover, with everything from one of the UK’s most important collections of Chinese art to medieval tapestries and stained glass, and works of art by Rembrandt, Degas and more. With real rigour and imagination, they have realised the true depth of what it means for a museum to be accessible. I would encourage everyone to go and experience it.”
The Burrell Collection welcomed over 500,000 visitors in the year after its reopening and contributed an economic impact of £20m for Glasgow in its first six months. The redisplay was co-curated with a wide range of community groups to ensure the museum showcases diverse and inclusive perspectives, and the Burrell team also partnered with local schools and various community groups to amplify their voices. Over 100 pieces of unique digital interpretation, from immersive experiences to interactive games, give context and meaning to the collection on a scale and to a quality previously unseen in decorative and fine art collections.
The winner was one of five finalists. The other shortlisted museums are Leighton House (London), The MAC (Belfast), Natural History Museum (London) and Scapa Flow Museum (Orkney).
Each finalist will receive £15,000. Together with £120,000 acquired by the winning museum, the total prize for Art Fund Museum of the Year is £180,000, specially increased for 2023 and beyond to mark the 120 years of Art Fund supporting museums.
The 2023 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes Larry Achiampong, artist; Mary Beard, historian and broadcaster; Abadesi Osunsade, Art Fund Trustee, author and owner of Hustle Crew, and Laura Pye, Director, National Museums Liverpool.
The prize is funded thanks to the generosity of Art Fund’s members who buy a National Art Pass. Pass holders enjoy discounts and benefits at the shortlisted museums and hundreds of museums and galleries across the UK.
Art Fund annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year. The 2023 edition celebrates ten years of Art Fund Museum of the Year, a prize grounded in 50 years of history championing the UK’s 2,500 museums, galleries and heritage sites.
New research commissioned to mark ten years of Art Fund Museum of the Year found that nomination for the prize helped museums attract visitors, positively impacted community cohesion and engagement, and unlocked additional public and private funding.
Art Fund has also collaborated with Google Arts & Culture to present the last decade of the prize. A new online experience gives an exclusive overview of the shortlisted and winning museums. The stories, rich in imagery and insight from museums and judges, showcase previous winners ranging from Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield (2014 winner) to St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff (2019 winner) and Horniman Museum and Gardens, London (2022 winner).
Art Fund Museum of the Year has continued collaborating with the BBC in 2023, with news of the finalists and winners shared on BBC One’s The One Show.