V&A Dundee has been nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award 2020, one of the world’s most prestigious cultural prizes.
Scotland’s first design museum opened in September 2018 and in its first 12 months welcomed over 830,000 visitors, contributing to a £16 million boost in the value of Dundee tourism.
V&A Dundee is one of only three UK nominees, alongside National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and St Fagans National Museum of History in Wales.
Other nominees include Anne Frank House in the Netherlands and the Athletic Bilbao Museum in Spain. Former UK winners of the prize include the Design Museum in London in 2018, Riverside Museum in Glasgow in 2013 and the V&A in 2003.
V&A Dundee director Philip Long said: “This is a very exciting moment, recognising the international significance of creating Scotland’s first design museum, as well as the huge achievement of everyone who helped to create, open and now run V&A Dundee.
“We are hugely excited to be moving into our second year as an open museum, with our current Hello, Robot exhibition looking at the future of robotics and humanity, and with the hit exhibition Mary Quant exploring the spirit of the 1960s coming soon.”
The winner of the European Museum of the Year Award 2020 will be announced at the Annual Conference of the European Museum Forum, hosted by National Museum Cardiff, on May 2.
Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “I congratulate V&A Dundee and National Museum of Scotland on being shortlisted for the accolade of European Museum of the Year.
“This is well deserved recognition and cements their place as world-leading attractions. With some exciting exhibitions planned for the coming year, I look forward to seeing them continue to promote Scotland’s design and culture on a global stage.”
Councillor John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, said: “I’m delighted that V&A Dundee is in the running for such a prestigious international prize.
“Our stunning museum is now very firmly part of the cultural fabric of the city, with its design galleries and exhibition programme attracting locals and visitors alike in their hundreds of thousands.
“In a little over a year, it has massively raised Dundee’s international profile and played a key part in record-breaking tourism figures – helping to create jobs and new economic opportunities.”
