Leeds City Museum Awarded UK’s ‘Most Family Friendly Attraction’

Posted on by Amelia Cutting

Leeds City Museum, located in the heart of Millenium Square, has won the 2018 “Family Friendly Museum Award.”

The award, given by the charity Kids in Museums, is the only accolade presented in the UK to attractions by visitors themselves. Different families anonymously visited the shortlisted museums and assessed each one based on their experiences. The award is presented to the attraction which showed the best response to public feedback and demonstrated “outstanding efforts” to welcome adults and children.

“The team in Leeds really impressed our family judges with their great welcome and willingness to help, as well as their varied and dynamic year-round public activities.”

Emmajane Avery, chairwoman of Kids in Museums said that “the team in Leeds really impressed our family judges with their great welcome and willingness to help, as well as their varied and dynamic year-round public activities.” Writer, broadcaster and art dealer, Philip Mould OBE presented the museum with the award in London on Monday of last week.

One judge said that the City Museum stood out for its “warm and welcoming staff” and also its representation of different communities in Leeds through its varied exhibitions. It is free to visit and, since opening back in 2008, has had 2.7 million visitors through its doors, including 85,000 children on school trips.

The museum, which was first established in 1819 but reopened only ten years ago, beat other attractions across the UK to the national award. With four floors and six galleries to visit, the exhibitions on display are always changing. Current ones include ‘The Wonderful World of Animal Makers’, an exhibition that is entirely environmentally friendly and dedicated to showing children objects made by animals, as well as the 3,000 year old Egyptian mummy and the 170 year old Leeds Tiger.

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “we’re absolutely thrilled and immensely proud to see Leeds City Museum recognised for giving children and families such a warm welcome and for bringing history to life for thousands of young people in our city.”

Amelia Cutting

Image: [John Dolan]