Short Listed for The Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award
16 Feb 10 - 16 Jun 10
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery has recently been short listed for the Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award 2009. The public nominated the museum, which encourages and welcomes families through its doors, as one of the best in the country.
This national award is supported by Kids in Museums, a charity that actively encourages museums to become more family friendly and is one of the biggest in the sector.
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is amongst six museums that have made it through to the third stage of the award after first being nominated by the public for their family friendliness. The museum then made it through the second stage of the award after being judged by a distinguished panel, which included Jenny Abramsky, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The winner of the award will now be judged by anonymous families who will visit over the coming months.
Amanda Heath, Education Officer from Stoke-on-Trent Museum Service, says she is ‘delighted by the news that the museum has been formally recognised for its hard work in this area. Everybody has worked hard to develop areas of the museum for younger children and activities for families. We are all excited about the future and in particular, the display of the Staffordshire Hoard and the opportunities this represents in terms of engaging with family groups. The Staffordshire Hoard is a national treasure found within the local area and we intend to bring this period of British history alive with family friendly events and activities.’
Dea Birkett, Director of Kids in Museums, congratulated The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery ‘for deservedly getting on to the six strong shortlist of the Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award – the first time a Stoke-on-Trent museum has done so. This is testament to all the pioneering, innovative work being done by the museum. Judges were particularly impressed that families felt free to be chatty and cheerful, even being encouraged to sing nursery rhymes out loud as they went around the exhibitions. This is a long way from the time when museums asked children to shut up and be silent.’
Kids in Museums are looking to recruit families in the local area to come and judge us. Please see the website for further details www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk or email award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk
The museum thanks everybody for its support and endeavours to continue providing a warm, welcoming, fun and informative visit for all.
