The journey is over but wow, what a ride it’s been!

Congratulations to Horniman Museum and Gardens, the winners of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022 – the largest museum prize in the world!

Tŷ Pawb was one of five museums shortlisted for the prize. The other finalists included Derby Museums, Museum of Making (Derby), Horniman Museum and Gardens (London), People’s History Museum (Manchester), The Story Museum (Oxford).

The award was presented by DJ and broadcaster Huw Stephens at a ceremony in the spectacular setting of the Design Museum, London.

The announcement was broadcast live on The One Show, BBC1, to millions watching around the UK.

Each of the finalist museums receives a £15,000 prize in recognition of their achievements.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Environment, said: “For Tŷ Pawb to be named among the five best museums in the UK is an absolutely amazing achievement. We can feel very proud to be runners-up on a shortlist that included such outstanding museums from around the country.

“It has been wonderful to see the spotlight on Tŷ Pawb and Wrexham over the last few weeks, to see our national profile grow, and to see the team’s hard work recognised at the very highest level. I’m sure many more exciting times like this lie ahead for us.“

“Congratulations to Horniman Museum and Gardens. Our thanks to all the judges and to Art Fund for organising a superb competition. Thanks also to everyone at Tŷ Pawb, including architects’ Featherstone Young, and all the traders, artists, volunteers and team members who have helped make Tŷ Pawb’s unique vision a reality – to bring arts, markets and communities together under one roof.”

Speaking about the winners, Jenny Waldman, Art Fund director and chair of the judges, said: “The Horniman museum and gardens has now blossomed into a truly holistic museum bringing together art, nature and its myriad collections.

“Its values are woven through everything it now does, with a passionate team breathing life and meaning into every object, performance, plant and animal. In many ways it’s the perfect museum, and I would encourage everyone to go and experience all it has to offer.”

Art Fund, the UK’s national charity for art, awards Art Fund Museum of the Year annually to one outstanding museum. The 2022 edition champions organisations whose achievements tell the story of museums’ creativity and resilience, and particularly focuses on those engaging the next generation of audiences in innovative ways. Art Fund Museum of the Year is the largest museum prize in the world.

The members of this year’s judging panel, chaired by Art Fund Director Jenny Waldman, are: Dame Diane Lees, Director-General, Imperial War Museums; Harold Offeh, artist and educator; Dr Janina Ramirez, cultural historian and broadcaster, and Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 6 DJ and broadcaster.