BURRELL COLLECTION NAMED MUSEUM OF THE YEAR

[ THE BURRELL COLLECTION has been announced as the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023. Duncan Dornan, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, was presented with the £120,000 prize – the largest museum prize in the world – by the artist Sir Grayson Perry at a ceremony at the British Museum in London.

The Burrell Collection, in Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, houses the 9,000-object collection of Sir William and Constance Burrell. Managed by the charity Glasgow Life, it was officially reopened by King Charles in October 2022 following a major refurbishment and redisplay, which aimed to celebrate diversity through the museum’s rich and varied collection and create the most accessible, inclusive and sustainable fine and decorative arts museum in the world.

Jenny Waldman, director of Art Fund and chair of the judges for Art Fund Museum of the Year, commented: “The Burrell Collection is extraordinary: a world-class collection displayed in an inspirational building, in harmony with the surrounding landscape of Pollok Country Park. Reopened in 2022, the sensitive renovation and collection redisplay invite exploration and delight, with innovative digital displays offering new ways of understanding the art and objects in the museum’s light, welcoming spaces. All this was achieved with a strong shared purpose and with the involvement of local community groups in Glasgow.

“Huge congratulations to the talented team at the Burrell Collection for winning Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023 and to those who invest in supporting its important work. Thanks to them this museum is truly for everyone to enjoy.”

The Burrell Collection welcomed over 500,000 visitors in the year after its reopening and contributed £20m to Glasgow’s economy in its first six months. Over 100 pieces of unique digital interpretation, from immersive experiences to interactive games, give context and meaning to the collection on a scale and to a quality previously unseen with decorative and fine art collections.

The museum was one of five finalists for the prize. The other shortlisted museums were Leighton House in London, The MAC in Belfast, Natural History Museum and Scapa Flow Museum in Orkney. Each finalist will receive £15,000.

The 2023 judging panel, chaired by Jenny Waldman, included artist Larry Achiampong, historian and broadcaster Mary Beard, Art Fund trustee and author Abadesi Osunsade and Laura Pye, director of National Museums Liverpool.

The prize is funded thanks to the generosity of Art Fund’s members who buy a National Art Pass. Pass holders enjoy discounts and benefits at the shortlisted museums and hundreds of museums and galleries across the UK. q