John Sands, North East Tourism Advistory Board; Ged Bell, Joint Museums Committee; Julie Milne, Laing Art Gallery; and John Holmes, One North East.

Tyne & Wear Museums are celebrating after scooping three prizes at the North East Tourism Awards, held on Thursday, October 20 2005.

The Laing Art Gallery won Large Visitor Attraction of The Year, despite strong competition from the Sage and BALTIC.

Look Touch Listen and Smell, the museums’ access project, was awarded the Best Innovation in Tourism.

The project, which was rolled out at five of the eleven museums involved audio guides, maps and smelly interactives to provide a multi-sensory experience for visitors.

Neville Hails, a Discovery Museum assistant was also in the spotlight after winning an award for Outstanding Customer Service.

He has received numerous letters from visitors thanking him for helping them make the most of their day and he was congratulated for his knowledge of the museum.

Alec Coles, Tyne & Wear Museums director, said: “These awards celebrate the best in tourism in the whole of the North East.

The Laing Art Gallery beat strong competition to win the award. Image courtesy: Laing Art Gallery.

“To scoop not one, but three awards, demonstrates the leading role that all Tyne & Wear Museums now play in enhancing the tourist experience in our region.”

Ged Bell, chair of the Joint Museums Committee, said: “I am delighted that Tyne & Wear Museums staff have been recognised in this way. The awards are a tribute to our fantastic staff and volunteers.”

He added: “They reflect the hard work of many different people but I would particularly congratulate Neville Hails whose work epitomises the spirit and commitment that makes TWM so successful.”

The awards ceremony took place at the Stadium of Light on Thursday evening. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery and the Discovery Museum were also finalists in other categories.