Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017

We are pleased to announce that the winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017 is
The Hepworth Wakefield.

In the words of Art Fund director and chair of judges, Stephen Deuchar: 'The Hepworth Wakefield has been a powerful force of energy from the moment it opened in 2011, but it has just kept growing in reach and impact ever since. David Chipperfield’s building has proved a perfect stage – both for the display of collections and as a platform for a breathtaking sequence of special exhibitions, curated with determined originality by the talented curatorial team.'

Art Fund Museum of the Year is the world’s biggest museum prize, awarding one outstanding UK museum £100,000, while the other finalists receive £10,000 in recognition of their achievements.

This year's winner

What a year it's been for The Hepworth Wakefield - a 21% increase in visitor numbers, bold new sculpture prize, and an ambitious exhibitions programme including major retrospectives of Stanley Spencer and Martin Parr.

2016 has truly seen The Hepworth Wakefield go from strength to strength, cementing Yorkshire's place as the home of British sculpture.

'The Hepworth serves its local community with unfailing flair and dedication... It's the museum everyone would dream of having on their doorstep.'

Stephen Deuchar

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This year's finalists

Lapworth Museum of Geology

Birmingham

Last year saw the completion of an ambitious expansion project, transforming Lapworth from a niche academic institution into a dynamic, public-facing museum telling the story of the world’s four billion-year history.

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National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art

Newmarket

2016 saw the re-opening of the museum after adding new galleries, exhibition spaces and a centre for the retraining of racehorses, right in the heart of the sport’s spiritual home.

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Sir John Soane’s Museum

London

Following a major restoration, the museum now looks like it did when Soane died in 1837 and has opened up numerous new spaces, expanding their displays, increasing access and strengthening their contemporary exhibition programme.

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Tate Modern

London

Last year saw the opening of the Switch House, hugely expanding the gallery’s exhibition space and education programme, while welcoming more than six million visitors to see their globally significant collections and exhibitions.

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The Hepworth Wakefield

Wakefield

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2016, the museum launched a major new sculpture prize, expanded its learning and outreach programmes, increased visitor numbers and strengthened its exhibition programme with a series of major retrospectives.

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