European Museum of the Year Award
The European Museum of the Year Award is presented each year by the European Museum Forum under the auspices of the Council of Europe. The EMYA is considered the most important annual award in the European museum sector.
History
The EMYA was founded in 1977 by British journalist Kenneth Hudson, British academic Richard Hoggart, and John Letts, under the auspices of the Council of Europe. It is considered to be the most important award in its sector, being described by the Network of European Museums as "the longest-running and most prestigious museum awards in Europe".The Fonds de dotation de l’ICOM of the International Council of Museums supports the European Museum of the Year Award.
Awards
Categories
Since 1977, the EMF has presented two main awards:- European Museum of the Year
- Council of Europe Museum Prize
- In 2010, the Kenneth Hudson Award for daring achievement.
- In 2011, the Silletto Prize for community/cultural engagement.
- In 2019, the Portimão Museum Prize for the most welcoming museum.
- In 2020, the Meyvaert Museum Prize for Sustainability for "exceptional commitment to social, economic and environmental sustainability".
Criteria
The EMF state that the Council of Europe Museum Prize is based on:
Judging
Museums in 47 European countries, all members of the Council of Europe, can take part in the competition if they are newly opened or have undergone modernization or expansion in the past three years.European Museum of the Year winners (1977–present)
The following are the winners of the main European Museum of the Year award:| Year | Image | Museum | Location | Country | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977 | Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust | Ironbridge |  United KingdomCouncil of Europe Museum Prize winners (1977–)The following are the winners of the Council of Europe Museum Prize award:
|
Spain
Austria
Netherlandsill|TOPIC International Puppets Center|es|Centro 
Denmark