Ironbridge Wins Museums + Heritage Classic Award
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has won the 2012 Museums + Heritage Awards for Excellence in the Classic category against strong competition from other worthy contenders.
Winners were announced yesterday at a special evening ceremony in London’s West End on the first night of the Museums + Heritage show.
Now in their 10th year and regarded as the 'Oscars of the museums World’, the Museums + Heritage awards recognise the breadth of scope and scale of operation in museums across the globe. When making their decision, the panel of judges were asked to look for evidence of ‘outcome, creativity, relation to objective and cost effectiveness’.
In order to enter the Trust had to complete a detailed application outlining the Museum’s history and the success it has enjoyed over the last ten years, as well as its major developments, work with volunteers, new commercial activities and enhanced educational programmes. The Classic is a long-term award given to a museum which, in the judges’ opinion, has achieved the greatest all round degree of excellence over the last decade.
The judges were impressed by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s ongoing and long term commitment to innovation from day one and constant development to make the Museums relevant to their audience.
Barrie Williams, Chairman of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust said, “For over 40 years the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has been regarded as a pioneer due to the entrepreneurial way it has fulfilled its charitable vision of conservation and education within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site along with the delivery of high-quality learning opportunities for many thousands of visitors. It is very encouraging that the hard work of the Trustees, volunteers, staff and partners has been recognised in the form of the Museums + Heritage Classic Award, especially given the considerable strength of the shortlist”.
