For further information/photography contact:
| Lisa Cross/Emma Jeffs | Paul Mainds |
| Marbles | River & Rowing Museum |
| +44 (0)1491 411789 | +44 (0)1491 415615 |
Email: lcross@marbles.co.uk
November 2, 1999
RIVER & ROWING MUSEUM IS `MUSEUM OF THE YEAR'
Henley museum receives ultimate accolade
Henley's River & Rowing Museum has won the coveted `Museum of the Year' award for 1999. Fighting off stiff opposition from 28 other entries including the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the British Library's exhibition galleries and the Geffrye Museum in London, the museum was unanimously voted the winner by judges.
The awards, which are organised by National Heritage – the Museums Action Movement, were established in 1973 to identify and recognise innovation and achievement within museums. The distinguished panel of judges declared that the River & Rowing Museum was "state of the art" and would "set the pace for every museum in the new millennium".
James Bishop, chairman of National Heritage and one of the judges, said that it was "the imaginative and innovative way the museum has treated and linked its three themes – the River Thames, the sport of rowing and the town of Henley – that attracted the judges and persuaded them that this should be the winner."
The presentation ceremony, which has been described as "one of the major events in the nation's cultural calendar" will take place this evening at William Kent House in London. The specially-commissioned award will be presented by Sir Jocelyn Stevens, chairman of English Heritage, to Martyn Arbib, deputy chairman of the museum's trustees, and Jane Bowen, senior curator.
"We're absolutely thrilled," said Paul Mainds, chief executive of the River & Rowing Museum. "It's such an honour to be named `Museum of the Year' and I'm so pleased that the vision and commitment of everyone who was instrumental in creating the museum have been so deservedly recognised. 1999 has been a fantastic year for us and this award is the icing on the cake."
"This really is a coup for Henley," said Martyn Arbib. "We couldn't hope for a better recommendation than `Museum of the Year'. Let's hope that this inspires anyone who hasn't been to the museum yet to come and see for themselves just how fantastic it is."
The museum's exhibitions were designed by Land Design Studio, a consultancy with cross-disciplinary expertise in architecture, exhibitions, interior design, theatre, film and television, graphics and production. Land Design Studio has a distinguished list of clients in the museum and visitor attractions sectors and is renowned for its creativity and innovative use of the latest interactive technology.
The museum has received a number of awards since it opened to the public in August 1998. In September 1999 the museum was presented with a Visitor Attraction of the Year award from the Southern Tourist Board; in June it was named `Building of the Year for England' by the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust; and in March it received a Civic Trust Award. Having been declared a winner of a regional Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award for Architecture in September 1998, the museum is currently waiting to hear whether it has won a national award for architecture in this year's RIBA awards.