The shortlist for the 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year has been released, identifying five institutions that have demonstrated varied approaches to community engagement, historical re-evaluation, and physical redevelopment.
This year’s finalists include a mix of national galleries celebrating major milestones and regional museums that have undergone extensive capital projects. The selection reflects the current landscape of the UK cultural sector, where institutions are increasingly balancing the preservation of collections with the need for modern accessibility and local economic contribution.
Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, oversees the prize, which remains the largest of its kind globally. For the 2026 edition, the total prize fund has been increased to £200,000. The winning museum will receive £120,000 to support its ongoing work, while the remaining four finalists will each receive £20,000. This financial support is designed to recognise the efforts made by museum teams between autumn 2024 and winter 2025, a period marked by several high-profile openings and bicentenary celebrations across the country.
The Box
One of the finalists, The Box in Plymouth, is approaching its fifth anniversary in September 2025. Since opening its doors in 2020 following a £48 million investment, the museum, gallery, and archive has functioned as a primary cultural hub for the city. It manages a collection of over two million items, including artworks and specimens that document the maritime and social history of the region. The institution has focused on artist-led interventions to interpret these collections, featuring projects by Osman Yousefzada and Jyll Bradley.
The Box was also a key partner in a recent national project with Jeremy Deller and the National Gallery, illustrating the trend of collaboration between regional and national bodies. Beyond its exhibitions, the museum has tracked its wider impact on the Plymouth area. An impact report highlighted that the museum has welcomed over one million visitors since its inception, contributing an estimated £244 million to the local economy.
The report also noted various health and wellbeing benefits derived from its community programmes, positioning the museum as a functional part of the city’s social infrastructure.
The Fitzwilliam Museum
In Cambridge, The Fitzwilliam Museum has been shortlisted following a year of record-breaking attendance. In 2024, the museum recorded over 500,000 visitors, a figure attributed to its efforts to evolve the way it presents its collections. Since its founding in 1816, the Fitzwilliam has served as the University of Cambridge’s principal museum, but recent years have seen a shift toward more reflective and inclusive programming.
The museum has gained attention for its “collection remixes” and exhibitions that address complex histories, including the museum’s own links to the transatlantic slave trade. This work was exemplified by a solo exhibition from Glenn Ligon, which encouraged dialogue regarding the museum’s origins. The Fitzwilliam has also sought to engage new audiences through unconventional partnerships, such as a collaboration with Cambridge United to design a football kit. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to ensure the museum remains a space where a diverse range of visitors feels they belong.
Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery enters the shortlist following the completion of a £27.5 million redevelopment of its Norman Keep. Reopening in August 2025, the project aimed to restore the keep to its medieval appearance while installing modern infrastructure to improve the visitor experience. The site is now described as the most accessible castle in the country, with new lifts and walkways allowing visitors to explore areas that were previously off-limits.
A key feature of the redevelopment is the new Gallery of Medieval Life, which was developed in partnership with the British Museum. This gallery displays a range of artefacts that provide insight into the daily lives of people during the Norman period. The project also emphasised local participation; notably, a large-scale tapestry was created for the space, woven by a team of 50 local volunteers. This blend of architectural restoration and community craftsmanship has been central to the castle’s recent success.
National Gallery
The National Gallery in London is another finalist, selected during a period of transformation coinciding with its 200th anniversary. The “NG200” programme was a year-long celebration that included a comprehensive rehang of the national collection of Western European paintings. This effort was intended to provide fresh perspectives on familiar works, making the gallery more accessible to both frequent visitors and those new to the collection.
A major component of the National Gallery’s recent activity was the opening of the Roden Centre for Creative Learning, which provides dedicated space for educational initiatives. The gallery also looked beyond its London base through the Art Road Trip. This initiative saw the gallery’s outreach teams visit 18 different locations across the UK, bringing art and educational resources to communities that might not otherwise interact with the national collection. This focus on national reach and educational infrastructure has been a central theme of its bicentenary year.
V&A East Storehouse
The final museum on the shortlist, V&A East Storehouse, represents a shift in how museums manage and display their stored collections. Located at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London, the facility opened in May 2025. It moves away from the traditional model of closed storage, instead allowing the public to walk through the aisles where half a million objects are kept.
Under the leadership of director Gus Casely-Hayford, the Storehouse has introduced an “Order an Object” service, which allows visitors to request specific items for closer study. The facility also houses the David Bowie Centre, which preserves the archive of the influential musician. By making the “behind-the-scenes” work of the museum visible and accessible, V&A East Storehouse offers a new model for how large-scale collections can be utilised by the public and researchers alike.
Industry judging panel
The selection process for the award is led by a judging panel chaired by Jenny Waldman, the director of Art Fund. This year’s judges bring a range of expertise from across the arts and media sectors. The panel includes Tony Butler, the executive director of Derby Museums; Yinka Ilori, an artist known for his work in design and public installations; Alice Loxton, a historian and author; and June Sarpong, a broadcaster and advocate for diversity in the creative industries.
The judges will visit each of the five shortlisted museums before making their final decision. They are tasked with looking for institutions that have shown innovation and a commitment to their audiences over the past 12 months. Jenny Waldman noted that the finalists illustrate the “extraordinary breadth of creativity” currently found within the UK’s museums, regardless of their size or location.
Prestigious accolade
The Art Fund Museum of the Year award has a long history of recognising excellence in the sector. Previous winners have included a diverse array of institutions, such as the National Museum of History in Cardiff (2019), Tate St Ives (2018), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (2016). Recent winners, such as the Burrell Collection in Glasgow (2023) and the Watercress Line Mid Hants Railway (2024), demonstrate the award’s inclusive definition of what constitutes a museum.
The winner of the 2026 title will be announced at a ceremony held at the Cutty Sark in London on 25 June. As the sector continues to navigate a challenging economic environment, the prize remains a vital source of recognition and funding for institutions that are finding new ways to serve their communities and preserve the UK’s cultural heritage.
