Germany’s Ozeaneum is Museum of the Year
On Saturday, 22 May, the EMF judges announced Ozeaneum, in Stralsund, Germany, as the winner of the European Museum of the Year Award for 2010. Receiving special commendation were the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, the Science Gallery in Dublin, and the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam. The European Museum of the Year Award Conference of the European Museum Forum (EMF) was held in Tampere, Finland, on 19–22 May. In total, 42 new or renewed museums competed for the title of Museum of the Year.
About the winner
Ozeaneum in Stralsund, Germany opened in July 2008. This is the fourth part of the complex belonging to the German Oceanographic Museum. The five exhibition areas are complemented by a series of aquaria, which show the extraordinary variety and diversity of life in the North Sea, the Baltic, and the North Atlantic polar sea. Among the organisations that have co-operated to create the exhibitions is Greenpeace. Ozeaneum clearly introduces a new language and continues an already visible trend: aquaria are coming closer to museums every day and vice versa. In making its decision, the EMF judges recognised that Ozeaneum represents a new step, combining aquaria and zoos on the one hand with modern scientific museums on the other.
Specially commended for aspects of international museum innovation were:
the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, the Science Gallery in Dublin, and the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam. These three museums received a special diploma recognising their excellence in conception, innovative approach to interpretation and attention to the needs of their visitors.
Council of Europe Prize
The Council of Europe Prize went to the Museum of Portimao, in Portimao,Portugal.
The Micheletti Award and the Kenneth Hudson Award
Two other awards were given at the same event. The first was the Micheletti Award, for the most promising technical or industrial museum, this year went to the Agbar Water Museum, Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain.
The second was a new award in honour of the founder of the European Museum Forum, the internationally renowned Kenneth Hudson. The first Kenneth Hudson Award was given in recognition of a museum which has achieved something unusual and unconventional.
The award went to the Museum of Contraception and Abortion in Vienna, Austria. It was felt that the achievement of this museum contributed significantly to the development of the public quality of museums .
The event was attended by 150 European professionals in the museum sector. Next year, the Museum of the Year event will be held in Bremerhaven, Germany.
More information on the EMF and list of European Museum of the Year winners 1977-2009 is available at www.europeanmuseumforum.org
Press Contact:
Dr. Mikhail Gnedovsky
Chairman of the European Museum Forum
Director
Cultural Policy Institute
Moscow, Russia
mobile 7 903 290 6762
Email: gnedovsky@gmail.com
Dr. David Fleming OBE
Vice Chair European Museum Forum
Director
National Museums Liverpool
Telephone +44 151 478 4201
Email: david.fleming@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
European Museum of the Year Award
Ozeaneum, Stralsund, Germany
Specially commended
Museum of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
The Science Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Council of Europe Prize
Portimão Museum, Portimão, Portugal
Micheletti Award
Agbar Water Museum, Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain