# The Whitworth wins £100k Museum of the Year prize 2015

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/07/02/the-whitworth-wins-100k-museum-of-the-year-prize-2015/
- Published: 2015-07-02T08:55:01+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Whitworth in Manchester has won the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year prize for
2015. It beat five other museums to win £100,000, the largest arts prize in the 
UK and the largest museums prize in the world.** [The Art Fund](http://www.artfund.org/)
Prize for Museum of the Year “celebrates the very best museums and galleries, and
it acknowledges the creative and innovative ways in which they bring objects and
collections to life and engage diverse audiences in conversations about our cultural
heritage”. http://instagram.com/p/4m8EcTEW7W   In 2014 the gallery was closed so
that it could be doubled in size, and redeveloped so that it connected far better
with its surrounding park. It has even appointed a ‘cultural park keeper’ to make
the most of these open spaces. Even while it was closed it managed to host a series
of pop-up events. It re-opened on Valentine’s Day this year. The redeveloped gallery,
founded in 1889 in memory of industrialist Sir Joseph Whitworth, has already been
named North West Building of the Year by RIBA North West. You can watch the announcement;

## Why was it nominated?

 The gallery’s website features an explanation as to [why it was nominated](http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whats-on/events/summeroflove/whywewerenominated/).

   The announcement of the winner was made at Tate Modern in London. Stephen Deuchar,
Art Fund director and chair of judges, said:

> “The transformation of the Whitworth has been one of the great museum achievements
> of recent years. It has changed the landscape: it truly feels like a museum of
> the future”.

  

> [Our wonderful director celebrating our even more wonderful @artfunduk #museumoftheyear win. Thank you to all our friends, staff & supporters #soproud](https://instagram.com/p/4m67gCEW46/)
> A photo posted by the Whitworth (@whitworthart) on Jul 1, 2015 at 2:11pm PDT

## The finalists

 The six finalists for the 2015 Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year were: • Dunham
Massey (National Trust), Altrincham • IWM London • The MAC, Belfast • Oxford University
Museum of Natural History • HM Tower of London (Historic Royal Palaces) • The Whitworth,
Manchester    

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