south London museum focused on inspiring the next generation has won the largest museum award in the world.
The Horniman . Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill was crowned the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year after it reinvented its role as the community’s creative hub during the pandemic — after it had time to reflect on the climate emergency and Black lives matter protests.
Officials created a microforest to combat local air pollution and put together the 696 festival, featuring the black British sounds of South London through performances, installations, collaborations and a summer music festival.
It is also the only museum in London that showcases environmental, ecological and human culture side by side.
Horniman director Nick Merriman was presented with the £100,000 award by BBC Radio 6 DJ and judge Huw Stephens at a ceremony on Thursday at the Design Museum in London.
It beat Derby Museums, Museum of Making, People’s History Museum in Manchester, The Story Museum in Oxford and Tŷ Pawb art gallery in Wrexham.
Each of the finalist museums has received a prize of £15,000 in recognition of their achievements.
Jenny Waldman, director of the art fund and chair of the jury for Art Fund Museum of the Year, said: “The Horniman Museum and Gardens has now grown into a truly holistic museum bringing together art, nature and its countless collections.
“The values are intertwined with everything it does now, with a passionate team that gives life and meaning to every object, every representation, plant and animal.
“In many ways it is the perfect museum and I would encourage everyone to go and experience all it has to offer.”
Dame Diane Lees, Director General of the Imperial War Museums, said: “The Horniman Museum and Gardens champions the natural environment, commissions artists and music festivals to make Frederick Horniman’s eclectic collections new relevant to diverse communities.
“They set the agenda for how a traditional museum can reinvent itself through powerful ideas.”
Last year, the award was presented to Firstsite in Colchester in Essex, after it was transformed into a food bank and helped serve free school meals during the pandemic.