Spotlight
Save the dates !
The EMYA2025 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony will take place in Białystok, Poland from 21 to 25 May 2025.
Hosted by the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białystok, the winner of the CoE Museum Prize in 2024, the EMYA2025 will bring together members of the EMYA community.
Stay tuned for our upcoming announcements.
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Spotlight
Apply for EMYA2026!
The application process for EMYA2026 is now open!
All European museums which are not for profit and have opened or been substantially renewed since January 2021 are eligible to apply.
The closing date is Tuesday, 1 April 2025.
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December 3rd, 2024
Euskararen Etxea (the House of the Basque Language) wins 2025 Council of Europe Museum Prize
With great joy, the European Museum Forum shares the decision by the CoE on the 2025 Winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize. Selected by the Culture Committee, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting on 3 December 2024, Euskararen Etxea, the House of the Basque Language (Bilbao, Spain) wins the prize.
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November 19th, 2024
EMYA2025 nominees are now announced!
Forty two museums are nominated by the EMYA Jury to take part in this year's edition.
We express our gratitude to the nominated museums who kept faith with EMYA in applying and in welcoming the judges.
Stay tuned for more information!
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July 15th, 2024
EMYA2024 testimonials by Museum Studio travel bursaries
We thank the Museum Studio for its generous support and to our grantees for joining us in celebrating the EMYA2024 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony in Portimão from 1 to 4 May 2024. Here are the testimonials the 2024 grantees shared with us!
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May 4th, 2024
The winners of EMYA2024 are announced!
The European Museum Forum is happy to announce the winners of the European Museum of the Year Awards for 2024. The winners in different categories under the EMYA scheme were presented on the last day of the EMYA2024 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony that was held on 1-4 May 2024 in Portimão.
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April 17th, 2024
The Sybir Memorial Museum, the 2024 winner of the CoE Museum Prize was awarded during a special ceremony in Strasbourg.
At a special ceremony that took place on 16 April 2024 in Strasbourg, the Sybir Memorial Museum (Białystok, Poland) was awarded with the 2024 Council of Europe Museum Prize and symbolically received its trophy. The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 5 December 2023.
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December 5th, 2023
The Sybir Memorial Museum wins 2024 Council of Europe Museum Prize
With great joy, the European Museum Forum shares the decision by the CoE on the 2024 Winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize. Selected by the Culture Committee, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting on 5 December 2023, the Sybir Memorial Museum (Białystok, Poland) wins the prize.
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December 1st, 2023
EMYA2024 nominees are now announced!
Time to announce the EMYA2024 nominees. Fifty museums are nominated by the EMYA Jury to take part in this year's edition. We express our gratitude to the nominated museums who kept faith with EMYA in applying and in welcoming the judges.
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November 15th, 2023
In memoriam of Kimmo Antila
Kimmo Antila, former member of the European Museum of the Year Award Jury and Board Member of the European Museum Forum has passed away from cancer at the young age of 57.
As members of the jury and board who worked with Kimmo, we will always remember his insightful judgement of museums, but also his great heart and capacity for friendship.
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May 23rd, 2023
EMYA2023 testimonials by Museum Studio travel grants
We thank the Chargeurs Museum Studio for its generous support and to our grantees for joining us in celebrating the EMYA2023 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony in Barcelona from 3 to 6 May 2023. Here are the testimonials the 2023 grantees shared with us!
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May 6th, 2023
The winners of EMYA2023 are announced!
The European Museum Forum is happy to announce the winners of the European Museum of the Year Awards for 2023. The winners in different categories under the EMYA scheme were presented on the last day of the EMYA2023 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony that was held on 3-6 May 2023 in Barcelona.
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April 26th, 2023
The Workers Museum, the 2023 winner of the CoE Museum Prize was awarded during a special ceremony in Strasbourg.
At a special ceremony that took place on 25 April 2023 in Strasbourg’s Palais de L'Europe, the Workers Museum (Copenhagen, Denmark) was awarded with the 2023 Council of Europe Museum Prize and received its trophy. The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 5 December 2022.
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December 15th, 2022
Applications for EMYA2024 are now open!
The application process for EMYA2024 is now open! The extended closing date is Thursday, 27 April 2023.
All European museums which are not for profit and have opened or been substantially renewed since January 2019 are eligible to apply. Museums/exhibitions opened for more than 4 years at the time of the application, are not eligible.
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December 6th, 2022
The Workers Museum wins 2023 Council of Europe Museum Prize.
With great joy, the European Museum Forum shares the decision by the CoE on the 2023 Winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize.
Selected by the Culture Committee, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting on 5 December 2022, the Workers Museum (Copenhagen, Denmark) wins the prize.
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December 6th, 2022
EMYA2023 nominees are now announced!
The European Museum Forum is happy to announce the EMYA2023 nominees. Thirty-three museums are nominated by the EMYA Jury to take part in this year's edition.
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May 7th, 2022
The winners of EMYA2022 are announced!
The European Museum Forum is happy to announce the winners of the European Museum of the Year Awards for 2022. The winners in different categories under the EMYA scheme were presented on the last day of the EMYA2022 Annual Conference and Award Ceremony that was held on 4-7 May 2022 in Tartu, Estonia.
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April 26th, 2022
Nano Nagle Place, the 2022 winner of the CoE Museum Prize was awarded during a special ceremony in Strasbourg's Palais Rohan
At a special ceremony that took place on 26 April 2022 in Strasbourg’s Palais Rohan, the Nano Nagle Place (Cork, Ireland) was awarded with the 2022 Council of Europe Museum Prize and received its trophy. The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 3 December 2021.
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March 5th, 2022
Statement by the EMF/EMYA on the invasion of Ukraine
The European Museum Forum (EMF)/European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) is, as are other cultural organisations across the world, deeply concerned and distressed by the attack of the Russian Federation’s army on civilians and civic institutions in Ukraine.
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December 3rd, 2021
Nano Nagle Place - 2022 winner of the Council of Europe Museum prize
The 2021 Council of Europe Museum Prize has been awarded to Nano Nagle Place (Cork, Ireland). The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting on December 3rd 2021.
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June 24th, 2021
Gulag History Museum, the 2021 winner of the CoE Museum Prize was awarded during a special ceremony in Strasbourg's Palais Rohan
At a special ceremony that took place on 22 June 2021 in Strasbourg’s Palais Rohan, the Gulag History Museum (Moscow, Russian Federation) was awarded with the 2021 Council of Europe Museum Prize and received its trophy.
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May 6th, 2021
The winners of the EMYA 2020 and 2021 are now announced!
The European Museum Forum is happy to announce the winners of the European Museum of the Year Awards for 2020 and 2021. The winners in different categories under the EMYA scheme were presented at the online ceremony on 6 May 2021, bringing together members of the EMYA community including candidates, partners and friends.
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February 5th, 2021
The Council of Europe's 2021 Museum Prize goes to Gulag History Museum (Moscow, Russian Federation)
With great joy, the European Museum Forum shares the decision by the CoE on the 2021 Winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize.
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February 4th, 2021
EMYA Book Launch - Revisiting Museums of Influence
EMYA's new book: Revisiting Museums of Influence.
In this online event, Sharon Heal, Director, Museums Association and Trustee of EMF Board, meets Mark O'Neill, Jette Sandahl and Marlen Mouliou, the three co-editors of the EMYA book: Revisiting Museums of Influence. Four Decades of Innovation and Public Quality in European Museums.
January 29th, 2021
Applications for EMYA2022 are now open!
All European museums which are not for profit and have opened or been substantially renewed since January 2017 are eligible to apply.
Closing date: 31 May 2021
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January 18th, 2021
Important update on EMYA2020 and EMYA2021
It is with much regret that the European Museum Forum has to acknowledge that, given the current patterns of Covid-19 contagion we will not be able to conduct the EMYA2020 and EMYA2021 conferences and award ceremonies as live, corporal events in May2021 as planned.
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January 14th, 2021
A new term with new faces at EMF/EMYA
The European Museum Forum is happy to start the new year with some exciting changes both within its Board of Trustees and the EMYA Jury.
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October 21st, 2020
The wisdom of Kennet Hudson (1916 - 1999)
See our History section to watch the videos capturing some of Kenneth Hudson's insights from a lifetime of working to make museums more innovative and responsive to the public.
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May 25th, 2019
The EMYA2019 winners were presented on 25 May, at the 2019 Award Ceremony held in Sarajevo
The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA), organised by the European Museum Forum (EMF), was presented on 25 May, at the 2019 Award Ceremony held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in collaboration with War Childhood Museum, winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2018.
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July 11th, 2018
The European Museum of the Year Award has found a new home
On the July 11th, 2018 the European Museum Forum and the Municipality of Portimao in the Algarve, Portugal signed an agreement that the Museum of Portimao will house and host the EMF Office and Archives
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May 12th, 2018
EMYA2018: the Winners
The European Museum of the Year Award 2018 goes to the DESIGN MUSEUM, London, United Kingdom. Read the article to discover all the 2018's Awards.
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The Awards
The two main awards, the EMYA and the Council of Europe Museum Prize, have been awarded continuously since 1977. The EMYA award scheme responds to long term societal changes as well as current urgent social issues, and reflects the challenges, obligations and opportunities which museums face in the 21st century.
An average of around 45 museums apply each year, from across the 46 CoE member countries, with winners distributed across museums of all types, scales, disciplines and locations. 2020 set a record with 61 candidates.
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The Winners
Museum candidates are either new museums, first opened to the public within the past three years, or established museums that have renewed their organization and completed a substantial programme of modernization and extension of their buildings and galleries.
Over the years the EMYA scheme has developed into a series of different awards, each with their own specific profile. Discover them all.
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About us
The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) was founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Council of Europe, with the aim of recognising excellence in the European museum scene. EMYA was founded in 1977 on the principles of supporting, encouraging, awarding and showcasing excellence and innovation in the museum field, particularly in the areas conceptualised by Kenneth Hudson as ‘public quality’.
Read moreOur stories
Sámi Museum Siida - The European Museum of the Year 2024
"Sámi Museum Siida, as an indigenous museum, is primarily for the Sámi people themselves. But we are extremely pleased to see how our Sámi story resonates with the entire European museum community and people around the world.
This award belongs to the entire Sámi community, its elders who have supported our work with their knowledge and skills, and the entire staff of the Sámi Museum for their heartfelt efforts. In Siida’s new main exhibition, the Sámi themselves tell their own story. Over 300 members of the Sámi community participated in the preparation of the exhibition on Sámi culture.
We want to thank also our ancestors for their strength, love and support.
We hope that this award gives us strength to continue our important repatriation work for our community. For this work, we need the support of the entire European museum community so that the artifacts of our ancestors return home to Sápmi.
We want to extend our warm congratulations for all the museums awarded at EMYA2024!
Giitu! Takkâ! Späʹsseb! Thank you!"
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Salt Museum, the winner of the Portimão Museum Prize for Welcoming, Inclusion and Belonging 2024
"How can I convey our joy for the Portimao Award at the Salt Museum? Our entire city, Messolonghi, is celebrating with us! People stop us on the street, embrace us, call us, send messages, flowers, and sweets, all conveying their excitement and pride.
This award isn’t just for a museum; it’s for the residents of an entire city. Giannis Markakis, the national representative of EMF who discovered us, all the award nominees with their presentations, the EMYA judges, past winners, the organizing city of Portimao, and all participants have enriched our experience. They’ve guided us on a path of knowledge, continuous improvement, and contribution to society.
Participating in EMYA has been a wonderful journey!"
Despina Kanelli
Manager of Salt Museum
Kalamaja Museum, the winner of the Silletto Prize for Community Participation and Engagement 2024
"The members of the Kalamaja Museum community are very proud and happy that their own museum has received such great recognition. It gives everybody strength and courage to go forward! The photos were taken in Kalamaja Museum during celebrations of the Silletto Prize.
Thank you again so much!"
On behalf of Kalamaja Museum and its community members, friends, partners.
Kristi Paatsi
Kalamaja Museum
Our stories
Friedrich von Bose, EMYA Judge, Germany
To be a judge involves the great opportunity and privilege to get to know many colleagues from a broad range of museums across Europe. It means learning about the outstanding work they do, how they interpret their museums’ role in society and what strategies they employ to be meaningful places for their respective communities. To visit the applicant museums and to discuss the experiences made during these visits with my fellow judges – and to hear and discuss about their insights respectively – means learning a lot on many different levels. To me, reflecting about these experiences against the background of broader museological developments and discussions is a crucial part of this process.
The collective assessment about the nominee museums also comes with a big responsibility. I see it therefore as a great honour to be able to contribute to the EMYA judging process with the experiences, assessments and professional curiosity I bring into this process.
M. Cristina Vannini, National Correspondent, Italy
I have been part of the big EMF/EMYA family since 2004, having held most of the roles: advisor, national correspondent, board member and now, once again, national correspondent (it is almost impossible to leave EMF/EMYA once you've gotten involved!) with a deeper understanding of the meaning of this organization than I had at the beginning of my involvement.
The vision of EMF has changed over all these years, shaping upon the ideas of different Presidents and Boards, but the stated mission of founder Kenneth Hudson is still here to remind us of the central significance of public quality and innovation in the museum field.
My own personal professional growth owes much to the teachings and values of EMF, which I have tried to apply to my work as a museum consultant and lecturer in museum studies in a country where, even recently, the main concerns and policies on museums are still oriented towards conservation and less towards experience. Italy has always been underrepresented in EMYA, but the museums that have accepted the challenge have reported an extraordinary experience that has taught them to open up their views, to confront the outside world, and to establish a true dialogue with their societies and wider stakeholders to meet their mutual ends. And it is this what makes me continue to believe that the role of EMF/EMYA has a bearing in the years to come.
Hans Looijen, EMF Trustee, The Netherlands
Our identities are constantly being shaped, reshaped, and shifted, no matter if we are fine with it the way we knew it. That is all part of who we are.
Museums are key players in contributing to and providing (part of) the answers to the questions that puzzle communities throughout Europe. The way we navigate through life, pose questions, and deal with challenges—whether they concern our contested identities, diversity, human rights, sustainability, emancipation, or democracy—are all values that collide and find expression in museums, as entities and mediums that have evolved to serve as much more than just sources of inspiration and keepers of our memory.
This is why I joined the European Museum Forum: to highlight, learn from, promote, enjoy, and discuss the essential role that museums play in promoting these critical values. It is paramount that innovative European museum concepts are brought to the forefront.
