24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
VOTE! The Art Fund Prize 2008 - The 24HM People's Vote Continues
By Caroline Lewis
29/02/2008
The new Shetland Museum and Archives is leading the 24 Hour Museum People's Vote. © Mark Sinclair, Phatsheep Photography
It's time to get voting in our People's Vote for the museum or gallery you think should win The Art Fund Prize in 2008. Go straight to the 24 Hour Museum People's Vote if you know who you want to win, or read on for more about the official prize.
Judging for The Art Fund Prize for Museums and Galleries is continuing apace, with the panel now having visited many of the ten longlisted institutions and venues.
The £100,000 prize aims to recognise the most innovative and successful project of the last year, be it a remarkable exhibition or an entire building.
To gauge public opinion on what’s hot on the longlist, 24 Hour Museum is holding its own People’s Vote. So if you were enlightened by the collection of spiritual texts in the British Library’s Sacred exhibition, or have rediscovered a love of contemporary art with the help of the redeveloped Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, we want to hear from you!
Votes are already coming in, and you can find out more about the longlisted museums and galleries on the voting page, where links to new articles on the museums and galleries are added weekly. The People's Vote will continue after the shortlist is announced in early April, so you can still have your say right up until the official prize announcement in Museums and Galleries Month (May).
Image: Photo of the interior of a museum with writing and pictures on a wall
The Caribbean Gallery, Breaking the Chains. © British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
Last year, the 24 Hour Museum received in excess of 3,000 votes in its people’s poll for the 2007 Gulbenkian Prize (even now, some people are still sending in their approving comments on the previously nominated museums and galleries), giving the contenders a good idea of how they were doing on the ground, apart from the official judging.
"The longlist is as impressive as ever: it's great to see local treasures like Devon's Topsham Museum alongside the passion and relevance of the International Slavery Museum," said Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum.
"We know people really love these museums - they've told us so when they vote - and we'd love to hear more about which museum or gallery you think deserves to win. We can't promise it will sway the judges, but it's what you think that counts in the People's Vote!"
Image: manuscript with decoration and Hebrew writing in the centre
From Sacred at the British Library. © British Library
So far, the favourite in our poll is Shetland Museum and Archives, which has gained high praise for its redevelopment.
“After several visits I still feel I have only scratched the surface of Shetland's history,” commented one voter. “This is a superb resource, for Shetlanders and visitors alike and is certainly the best local museum I have visited, anywhere.”
“Today I saw two men building a sixareen in the boat shed - a six-oared wooden fishing boat of huge dimensions - a design that has not been built at Hay's Dock for over a hundred years. Here it was going up board by board, right before my very eyes. Now that's really making the past come alive! It certainly has my vote.”
Image: photograph of the exterior of an African adobe house
A life-size recreation of a Nigerian Igbo compound at the International Slavery Museum. © Jon Pratty / 24 Hour Museum
Next on the leader board are London Transport Museum, a well-loved venue given a new lease of life; and Lightbox, Woking, a brand new venue for heritage and visual art bringing novel joys to the people of Surrey.
“I would like to vote for the LT Museum as I think this is one of the best museums in the country,” said one voter. “The collection is magnificent, the setting is incredible and the interpretation is superb.”
And a young voter spoke up for Lightbox: “I would like to vote for the Lightbox because it is the first time we have had a museum or gallery like this in Surrey, and it is really cool. The people who work there are all really friendly and the photos and sculptures are great.”
There’s plenty to be said for the other seven longlisted museums and galleries, too, so why not go to the People’s Vote page to make your voice heard?
Voting will close on May 21, when the winner of the official 2008 prize is announced.
The longlist in full:
The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Bristol, for 'Breaking the Chains'
The British Library, London, for 'Sacred - Discover what we share'
International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
Lightbox gallery and museum, Woking
London Transport Museum
The National Army Museum, London, for 'Helmland: The Soldiers' Story'
The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney
Shetland Museum and Archives
Topsham Museum, Exeter, for the River Gallery
The Wellcome Collection, London
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
National Portrait Gallery Acquires Tudor Double Portrait
Sheffield Metal Master Wins Museum's Inaugural Design Award
DCMS Launches Consultation Into The Future Of World Heritage Sites
A Selection Of Festive Fairs - Fun Days and Exhibitions
Royal Society Announces Plans For 350th Anniversary
Art Website ArtisanCam Wins Coveted Children's BAFTA
Former Floorboards Of Founding Father Franklin Facilitate Funny Four
Mark Leckey Wins The 2008 Turner Prize And Scoops £25,000
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long-Standing Campaign For Cardiff City Museum
Culture Secretary Slaps Export Ban On George I Chandelier
Shakespeare's Globe Costumes Go On Show In Nottingham
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Another Busy Year For Archaeology On Orkney In 2008
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.