Shortlist Announced!

The Museums + Heritage Awards, sponsored by Altair Media, recognise excellence across museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions worldwide.

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for… the shortlist has been decided! We’d like to thank everyone who entered the Awards, we had a record-breaking number of entries and it was incredibly hard to narrow it down. 

A huge congratulations to everyone who made the list – your dedication, creativity, and hard work deserve to be celebrated! 

Who will become the Museums + Heritage Awards 2026 winners? We look forward to seeing you at the ceremony on 13 May at Hilton Park Lane London. 

2026 Shortlist

We believe that excellence knows no boundaries, and talent is limitless, regardless of where it comes from.

We’re on a mission to celebrate the rich tapestry of experiences and the multitude of voices that make up our sector. 

The Museums + Heritage Awards, sponsored by Altair Media, are open to all museums, galleries, archives, and cultural and heritage organisations, both digital and in-person. We welcome and encourage entries from everyone; from individuals and organisations that connect objects, stories and spaces with audiences and people, as well as the individuals, companies and organisations which support their work. 

Each entry is judged on its own merit and the shortlist frequently features brilliant examples of low-cost, creative projects. There’s a chance for everyone but, as the saying goes, you have to be in it to win it!

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITES

Museums + Heritage Awards Ceremony

Attend the sector’s most prestigious event.
Wednesday 13 May. Find out more.

 
 
Get your tickets

Winners’ stories

‘Won by everyone’: Suffolk Archives’ community-driven triumph

Read more

‘Innovation under the bonnet’: How London Museum’s AI-power won sector’s top prize

Read more

‘​​We couldn’t believe it’: Leicester learning programme’s M+H Awards success

Read more

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Our Judges

Our independent judges are selected for their extensive experience across the sector. They value museum and heritage activity of all kinds, for all people. They seek to reward well-informed and effective public benefit outcomes, rooted in long term preservation and analysis of material culture.

Our judges look for entries which are delivered robustly, accurately and honestly, without fear or favour.

We’re here to help

Giving you the best chance of success.

Our comprehensive How To Enter guide includes FAQs from previous entrants and Top Tips, as well as the all important T&Cs. It may be lengthy, but we urge you to read it carefully before entering. We hope it answers many of your questions but we are always happy to help with specifics, just ping us an email.

“Being recognised at the Museum + Heritage Awards was completely unexpected as we were a new and small organisation. It was a massive confidence boost and it has opened lots of doors for us.”