It is now clear that the Maritime Museum Aquarium in Gothenburg will be Museum of the Year 2024. The award is presented annually by the Swedish Museums and the Swedish ICOM to a Swedish museum that demonstrates innovative and important activities. The aim is to recognize excellent museum work and to inspire other museums to innovate and operate at the highest quality.
The winner was presented at the museums' spring meeting in Karlstad on April 23 and the prize was awarded by Karin Svanborg-Sjövall, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture. The Museums of Sweden and the Swedish ICOM (International Council of Museums) are behind the prestigious award.
– We are incredibly proud and happy about the award, which we see as a testament to all the hard work we have put into the new Maritime Museum Aquarium. After a major renovation and expansion of the museum, we have doubled our audience figures and we see that new target groups are finding us. Now we hope that even more people will find their way here and discover what we have to offer, says Carina Sjöholm, museum director.
Multifaceted visitor experience with the sea in focus
The new Maritime Museum Aquarium opened its doors in December 2022, following the largest renovation and expansion in the museum's history. With new exhibitions for children and adults and a completely new aquarium – housing habitats from all over the world and one of Europe's largest aquariums for endangered corals – the audience is treated to experiences of the sea for all the senses.
– In the new museum, the audience can explore man's relationship with the sea and the importance of the sea to man from a cultural-historical and marine biological perspective. By offering knowledge, understanding and a relationship with the sea, we want to create both hope and interest in our common cultural heritage, our future and environment, says Carina Sjöholm.
The jury's justification reads:
The Maritime Museum Aquarium has, through an extensive and well-planned multi-year transformation process, renewed both the building, content and the entire museum operation from scratch, which has resulted in a new multifaceted visitor experience. The insightful target group work and the courage to think new things, paired with research and outreach activities in the borderland between culture and nature, have resulted in a value-creating cross-fertilization. The Maritime Museum Aquarium today functions as an arena for knowledge, commitment and action that inspires visitors to take an active part in preserving our history, our oceans and our planet.
FACTS: Museum of the Year
Museum of the Year, the national award for museums, is being awarded this year for the 28th time. Sweden's Museums and Swedish ICOM is behind the prestigious award. Other nominees for the award were Bildmuseet in Umeå and Eskilstuna City Museum. This year's museum should demonstrate particular relevance and constitute an important and inclusive arena for people and society. The museum should also provide inspiration and showcase outstanding examples of innovative activities, as well as work with knowledge building by providing in-depth insights and new perspectives.
In the jury for Museum of the Year 2024:
Lisa Månsson, Superintendent, Swedish Museum of Natural History
Christian Penalva, Exhibition Manager at Kulturen in Lund
Olof Hermelin, museum director, Östergötland Museum
Nils M Jensen, Director of the Danish Museums Organization
Cecilia Wikström, Foundation Director of the Beijerstiftelsen and Anders Walls Foundations
