The Horniman Museum and Gardens has won Art Fund’s Museum of the Year Award.
The Forest Hill venue scooped the £100,000 award after it was announced live on BBC’s ‘The One Show’ on Thursday, July 14.
Judges praised the museum for “championing the natural environment” and its “new relevance to diverse communities”.
Jenny Waldman, Art Fund director and chair of the judges for Art Fund Museum of the Year, said: “The Horniman Museum and Gardens has now blossomed into a truly holistic museum bringing together art, nature and its myriad collections.
“Its values are woven through everything it now does, with a passionate team breathing life and meaning into every object, performance, plant and animal.
“In many ways it’s the perfect museum, and I would encourage everyone to go and experience all it has to offer.”
Art Fund, a national fundraising art charity, says that Covid-19, the climate emergency and the death of George Floyd prompted “a period of reflection” at the museum.
A transformational ‘Reset Agenda’ followed, entailing the creation of a Climate and Ecology Manifesto, an online Environment Champions Club, and a pollution-busting micro forest.
They also reached out to “more diverse audiences” which meant “showcasing Black British creativity” through supporting local music.
The Horniman beat Derby Museums, Museum of Making, People’s History Museum in Manchester, The Story Museum in Oxford and art gallery Ty Pawb in Wrexha to the top prize. Each finalist received a £15,000 prize.
Dame Diane Lees, Director-General, Imperial War Museums, and judge for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022, said: “The Horniman Museum and Gardens are championing the natural environment, commissioning artists and music festivals, to bring the eclectic collections of Frederick Horniman new relevance with diverse communities.
“They are setting the agenda for how a traditional museum can reinvent itself through powerful ideas.”
http://southwarknews.co.uk/news/environment/horniman-to-begin-planting-a-pollution-busting-woodland/