Beamish Museum win sparks joy and happy memories
Congratulations have flooded in to an open-air attraction which has been named museum of the year.Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, scooped the £120,000 prize money on its 55th anniversary of its opening.The attraction, near Stanley in County Durham, brings to life the history of the region from the 1820s to the 1950s. Fans and regular visitors have been taking to social media to offer congratulations and share memories.
Receiving the award, Beamish chief executive Rhiannon Hiles said: "This is just perfect to get us on the map and really, really showcase what we do up in the North East of England." She described the win as absolutely amazing, and praised "our brilliant team".Staff and volunteers had gathered in the 1950s cinema to watch the award ceremony and broke into loud cheers at the announcement.Later they spoke of how thrilled, amazed and overjoyed they were.Some described it as a win for the whole of the North East, which "shows what the region is worth".
Many others echoed the view that it was a broader win for the region.MP Luke Akehurst, whose North Durham constituency covers Beamish, posted on social media: "Congratulations Beamish - the Pride of North Durham."Chris Loughran, chair of Beamish, said: "We're proud to be a place, a space and an anchor for all. "Beamish is the North East's leading visitor attraction but it also is the beating heart of our region's identity and values."
The Art Fund Prize was launched in 2008, becoming Museum of the Year in 2013. All of the five finalists this year, which included Chapter in Cardiff and Compton Verney in Warwickshire, were based outside of London.
Among the congratulations were people reminiscing, with some taking to social media to talk about repeat visits over the years.In many cases it brought back memories of their grandparents' former colliery homes, with leaded ranges and tin baths.Others remembered shopping at some of the buildings in their original sites - such as the Co-op in Annfield Plain - before they were dismantled and reconstructed at Beamish.All agreed that it was a well-deserved win.
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