Lockdown activities recognised in Family Friendly Museum From Home Awards
Kids in Museums has revealed the winners of its special Family Friendly Museum From Home Awards, which were created to celebrate the “extraordinary effort” museums made to adapt their work and support families during lockdown.
The charity announced the awards in a virtual ceremony this week hosted by TV stars Philip Mould and Kate Williams. Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales) won Best Social Media Activity for its Minecraft your Museum competition, which encouraged young minecrafters to create their own virtual museums on the platform.
The National Videogame Museum in Sheffield scooped the prize for Best Website Activity for its interactive guide, Create Your Own Pixel Art Character, which took children through the basics of pixel art animation.
Wow Wednesdays, a weekly video series by the Cooper Art Gallery in Barnsley, was recognised as Best Film, while the Whitworth gallery in Manchester won the Going the Extra Mile award for its Still Parents art workshops, which support families that have experienced baby loss.
The Glucksman art gallery in Cork, Ireland, won the award for Best International Digital Activity. The gallery’s Creativity at Home programme saw it provide daily creative activities for children during lockdown.
The winners were chosen from a shortlist of 26 nominees, whose activities were tested by families over the summer and judged by an expert panel.
Mould, who is also the president of Kids in Museums, said: “It is a pleasure to celebrate how museums and heritage sites have sprung into action and brought culture to families during this challenging time.
"Our winning museums have not only helped families with home schooling, but also supported their wellbeing and helped them have fun together. Once again we’ve been shown just how valuable the museum sector is to us all. Many congratulations to all our worthy winners.”
Best Film
Winner
- Cooper Gallery, Barnsley – Wow Wednesdays
Highly Commended
- University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge – Zoology Live! Online Festival
Best Social Media Activity
Winner
- National Museum Wales – Minecraft your Museum
Highly Commended
- Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft – Virtual Museum Club
Best Website Activity
Winner
- National Videogame Museum, Sheffield – Create Your Own Pixel Art Character
Highly Commended
- National Galleries Scotland – Home is Where the Art is
Best International Digital Activity
Winner
- The Glucksman, Republic of Ireland – Creativity at Home
Highly Commended
- Andy Warhol Museum, USA – Warhol Making It Videos
Going the Extra Mile
Winner
- The Whitworth, Manchester – Still Parents
Highly Commended
- Colchester and Ipswich Museums – Museum From Home Activity Packs
- Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books, Newcastle Upon Tyne – Something to Smile About: Supporting Families in East Newcastle