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Hands On! International European Museum Academy Association of Children in Museums A European Museum Expertise Foundation

2015 CHILDREN IN MUSEUMS AWARD

THE JUDGES’ REPORT

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CHILDREN IN MUSEUMS AWARD 2015

CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD The Jury is looking especially for the creative use of exhibitions and programmes with an innovative interpretative approach, which should be meaningful to the relevant age-group. The Jury will expect proof and examples of your innovative approach, open-ended learning programme, excellence that can be acknowledged by children, and aesthetic qualities. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD

Permanent space designed for children up to the age of 14 years

Age-appropriate exhibitions and/or programmes based on the cognitive, social and emotional development of children

Permanent staff/ management

Dedicated budget

Interactive learning experiences and exhibit strategies engaging as many senses as possible

Specialist provision for children within the museum sector internationally

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INTRODUCTION The Children’s Museum Award was established in 2011 by the European Museum Academy and Hands On! International for the recognition of excellence in the specific sector of international children’s museums. In 2014 the name of the Award was changed to the Children in Museums Award, to reflect the wider range of provision for children in today’s museums. Applications are welcomed from children’s museums and from education, children and youth departments in museums and science centres, both long-established and recently opened. EMA is a non-profit Foundation established to reflect museums at the international level, to promote research on museography and museology as a high cultural activity, to provide constructive criticism and promote discussion on new exhibitions and museums, and to diffuse museological knowledge and ideas among members of the profession. It aims to promote the conception and development of new as well as of traditional museums as tools of social change. EMA co-operates with Hands On! International Association of Children in Museums for this Award. EMA members of the Judging Panel of the Award are also active members of the Academy in a number of roles. www.europeanmuseumacademy.eu Hands On! International Association of Children in Museums (HO!I), is an international professional organisation representing and advocating for its non-profit member institutions. It actively stimulates the creation and development of children’s museums (including science centres and large collections-based institutions serving young visitors) and more space for cultural and educational activities for children and young people. HO!I supports the important role of children’s museums as centres where play inspires creativity, informal and lifelong learning. www.hands-on-international.net.

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THE JUDGES’ REPORT This is the fourth year of the Award, and the organisers have again welcomed entries from outside Europe, as well as a large number of candidates within the continent. The panel of judges considered carefully all the material submitted by the candidates, paying special attention to the ways in which a candidate is likely to change the course of museum thinking or museum practice, nationally and internationally, with imaginative interpretation and presentation being marked highly. It was very noticeable this year that museums are increasingly aware of the importance of the provision of dedicated space for children, especially in the larger museums, where previously children might not have been taken so seriously as an audience. In this context the jury also felt that museums were willing to consider a wide range of different approaches, from the more obvious fun, with toys and games, to more difficult or challenging subjects concerning war and death or sexuality, taking seriously their remit to help children to think about matters of importance in their lives as they grow up. After an intensive period of exchange of views and a programme of visits, a final shortlist of eight museums was announced:

ZOOM Kindermuseum, Vienna, Austria

Le Pass – Parc d’Aventures Scientifiques, Frameries, Belgium

Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Gemeentemuseum – Wonderkamers, The Hague, The Netherlands

Museum Rotterdam ’40-’45 NU, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Singapore Philatelic Museum, Singapore

Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Spain

Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, USA

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ZOOM CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Founded in 1994 as the first children’s museum in Austria, ZOOM has since become one of the country’s largest cultural institutions for children and has been influential in the development of children’s programmes at many other Austrian museums. The museum is a part of the modernisation of museum buildings and new museums in Vienna, now named the MuseumsQuartier. Funded partly by the municipality and substantially by private sponsorship, here children up to the age of 13 can explore the world around them, using all their senses. They visit mostly in groups and sometimes, especially at holiday and weekend times, with their parents and families. In the museum’s own words, “in spaces developed especially for children, topics and objects in the arts, sciences and everyday life can be explored in a playful and artistic atmosphere”. Permanent exhibitions include an Art Studio, Ocean – which encourages small children to explore exhibits with a watery theme – and an animation studio which received high praise from the judges, where children over seven co-operate in groups with the help of artist facilitators. They design characters, produce drawings add sounds and produce their own films. All productions created in the Animated Film Studio are digitally archived and most of them are available on the ZOOM website. The judges said that the museum’s concern and understanding of children is exemplary and their work with special needs groups is outstanding. The goal of ZOOM is to show children the complexity of the world in which they live and make them realise that answers are often very difficult. The museum has held its place in the MuseumsQuartier and despite budget cuts its present visitor numbers of 129,000 demonstrate its recognition as a venue of international importance.

ZOOM Kindermuseum (Director: Elisabeth Menasse-Wiesbauer) MuseumsQuartier, Museumplatz 1, A-1070 Wien, Austria Tel +43 1522 6748 1819 www.kindermuseum.at

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LE PASS – SCIENCE ADVENTURE PARK Le Pass is situated in Frameries in the province of Henegouwen, in the former mining area of the Borinage. It covers the former premises of the Crachet Picquery coal mine. After the closure of the mine in 1960 the future of the miners and their families was inevitably a life of poverty. In an effort to give the region a boost, a plan to give the Borinage a new image highlighting the history of the region resulted in the opening of Le Pass in 2000. The exhibitions are partly housed in the old mine buildings and partly in new extensions. It is a huge science centre with 10,000 m² of exhibitions and a large outside space with smaller exhibitions and play areas. Visitors enter at the head of a slope and are invited to step on to a conveyor belt, passing an introduction in the form of animated films. There are two main exhibitions, with the relatively small number of texts in French, Dutch and English. The exhibition for 3-7 year-olds received particular praise from the judges, who thought it was excellent thanks to the design for a non-reading audience, and its call on intuitive and non-verbal transmission techniques and physical involvement. Children, as explorers, are invited to discover themselves and science as they progress through the exhibition. To move through the three exhibits dedicated to children from 6-12 years there is a rope course of monkey bridges, slides, swings, pull carts and wooden ladders. The indoor tree-climbing course is the first in Belgium. The judges noted that half the audience, some 40-50,000 annually, is under the age of 14 and the impact of Le Pass is vast, locally and regionally, although it is felt that communication of the museum’s facilities outside Wallonia needs improvement.

Le Pass – Parc d’Aventures Scientifiques (Director: André Cremer) 3, rue de Mons B-7080 Frameries, Belgium Tel +32 65 612 160 www.pass.be

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SCIENCE CENTER NEMO The building, designed by Renzo Piano as a Ship in the Harbour, is located near Amsterdam Central Station and it can be seen from all over the station area. It opened in 1997 under the name New Metropolis and its origins are in a Labour Museum founded in 1923. Renamed the NEMO Science Center in 2000, it has over 500,000 visitors a year, mostly schoolchildren and its impact on the local, national and international scene is outstanding and important. The target age range is 8 to12-year-olds, with 100% of the space being devoted to them, with the level of noise that this implies. Five floors of exhibition space begin by introducing physical phenomena, illustrated by a huge chain reaction explaining different kinds of energy and taking up over 100 m². On the upper floors displays of biology, psychology and anthropology are added to the themes of physics and chemistry. The exhibitions are still changing, the older parts being science centre hands-on based, while the newer parts have museum displays and multimedia installations. There are laboratories where schools can hold workshops, as well as cinemas and interactive teaching rooms. The judges said that NEMO is evolving into an innovative science museum with an extraordinary new approach on special topics, with real explanations being given to children. Its approach to human life and mind, especially in its anthropological exhibition, is an example of a new type of science museum. It was also noted that the service structure of NEMO is outstanding.

Science Center NEMO (Director: Michiel Buchel) Oosterdok 2 1011 VX Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tel +31 20 531 3233 www.e-nemo.nl

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MUNICIPAL MUSEUM – WONDERKAMERS The museum opened in 1935 as a public art institution, and is renowned for its large Mondrian collection. An interactive space specially designed for under-18s, the Wonderkamers are situated in the basement of the museum. The exhibition is the result of three years’ collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of educators, game designers, media specialists and film makers. The result is an interactive tour through the world of fine art, haute couture, architecture and the decorative arts. At the entrance visitors are each given a tablet, the ‘Wonder-guide’, which steers them through the labyrinth and unlocks interactive games in each room. But first there is an introduction from the museum’s director, who urgently asks for help because a member of staff has been taken ill. With the Wonder-guide visitors can scan codes on the floor, for arrows to guide them in the right direction. Visitors can dance with Mondrian to discover how the boogie-woogie rhythm influenced his paintings, slip into haute couture dresses, learn how clothing emphasises the body’s silhouette or identify tools used by artists in glass, wood, fabric, metal and clay. Points earned during the tour can be used to purchase an art collection in the depot and at the end a favourite artwork is selected virtually, to create a new exhibition in the Miniature Museum. The judges said that since the opening of Wonderkamers the average length of a visit has doubled, and they were impressed by the way the tour works, provided the visitors take the correct route in order to catch the beginning. It brings art to people in an unusual and playful way and stays connected to the museum’s collection with its excellent combination of art, storytelling, themed environment and gaming elements. They also praised the fact that the exhibition was based on previous experiences with the target group.

Gemeentemuseum The Hague (Director: Benno Tempel) PO Box 72, 2501 CB The Hague The Netherlands www.gemeentemuseum.nl

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MUSEUM ROTTERDAM ’40-’45 NU The former War Resistance Museum began as a private collection in 1985, and in 2008 it was officially recognised as part of the City Museum Rotterdam. The exhibition ’40-’45 NU (NU=Now) opened in the Coolhaven metro terminal, with a completely new concept, the main target audience being teenagers. One part is a huge showcase with original objects, supplemented by historical background information. The other is designed as a multimedia experience that transports visitors to the time of the bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May 1940. Images of modern-day Rotterdam are projected onto a 360 degree 3D wall. These fade into footage of 1940 Rotterdam where visitors meet inhabitants and objects from their daily lives. Suddenly air raid sirens sound, bombers fly overhead, bombs fall and flames spread. When the smoke clears, everyday possessions lie in the rubble. A large interactive table of 16 large touch screens is then illuminated and visitors can use iPads to search the collections, find personal accounts and understand how the bombing affected people. In the education programme pairs of students can make a short film on one of the objects in the collection, and after 45 minutes’ work these mini-documentaries are reviewed by the other students. The judges praised the museum for enabling young people to discover the human stories behind the objects through its multimedia experience, and the way the educational programme stimulates creativity and interest in the past. Another positive factor is that the mini-documentaries become part of the permanent collection. The museum presents the Second World War as a story from the past told by Rotterdam’s present-day young citizens. This is especially important as the number of eye witnesses dwindles each year.

Museum Rotterdam ’40-‘45 NU (Director: Johan van der Hoeven) Coolhaven 375 3015 GC Rotterdam, The Netherlands Tel +31 10 484931 www.ovmrotterdam.nl

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SINGAPORE PHILATELIC MUSEUM The museum is in a former school building not far from the National Museum and the Art Museum. Together with the major museums it is under the wing of the National Heritage Board of Singapore, which gives it equal status although it is a children’s museum. Its mission is to stimulate an interest in philately, emphasising its educational value, and it promotes the use of philatelic material to learn about the world, especially in the fields of national history and heritage. Families with children under 12 constitute the major part of its visitors. Exhibitions are based on the creative use of stamps or postcard themes and because of the shortage of space every nook and cranny of the building is utilised to produce displays which are colourful, amusing, interactive and child-focused. There is a mixture of large and small exhibitions, activity areas and study areas. Educational programmes feature topics relevant to children’s everyday lives, such as ‘Meet Mr Postman’, an activity for 6-8 year-olds, who enjoy learning what a postman does and how to send a letter, after which they can then make their own mailbox to take home. Sunday is families’ day, with activities such as ‘Return to Sender’, an Elvis Presley theme, where children learn to rock ‘n roll, and ‘Counting Sheep, Dreaming Goats’, with a short talk about the animals and a live baby goat which the children can cuddle, and try goat’s milk. The museum also offers activities for secondary students and works with the university to design exhibitions. The judges praised particularly the enthusiasm and friendship of the tight-knit museum staff and volunteers and the creativeness of the exhibitions on what could otherwise be a boring subject for children.

Singapore Philatelic Museum (Director: Tresnawati Prihadi) 23B Coleman Street Singapore 179807 Tel +65 63373888/65137339 www.spm.org.sg

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NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM OF BARCELONA The Blue Museum is one of three institutions of the Natural Science Museum and was inaugurated in 2011, developing a programme especially for children called Born for Science. The museum is located in the north of the city and its neighbourhood includes expensive homes, lower middle class housing and a rather run-down area which means that the immediate catchment area for visitors comprises different social levels and origins. The children’s space, the Science Nest, is aimed at the age group 0-6 and their families, an activity area filled with original materials to be touched, and closely examined. As well as an exhibition space, it can be used for activities such as workshops and puppet theatre. Children can start a search programme in the Science Nest which they can then finish with their families at weekends. Programmes for older children start in workshop rooms and continue in the exhibition. There is an outreach programme for schools in disadvantaged areas and the museum also has a trolley with objects and workshop materials that can be taken into hospitals for children with long-term illnesses. The museum is also a pioneer in finding ways to attract young visitors and families to work as Science Researchers. The judges were impressed by the establishment of a children’s board, where boys and girls aged 9-10 from a local school are chosen by lottery to serve for a two-year term. They are respected as citizens equal to grown-ups, they hold meetings and submit questions to the director, are given free entry to the museum for life and are invited to previews. In the judges’ opinion the museum is very important for Barcelona, with its strong bonds with the neighbourhood, family programmes at weekends and many local activities.

Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (Director: Anna Omedes Regàs) Museu Blau, Parc del Fòrum Pl. Leonardo da Vinci, 4-5 ES-08038 Barcelona, Spain Tel +34 932566002 www.museuciencies.cat

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BOSTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM (BCM) Founded in 1913, Boston is the second oldest and among the largest children’s museums in the world, focusing on children aged from two months to 12 years old. In the 1960s BCM pioneered the combination of hands-on exhibition and programme techniques with a focus on the needs of its visitors. This serves as a catalyst for addressing community needs, which are known through partnerships with city-wide and community-based agencies serving low-income and immigrant children and families. A critical issue for Boston is the school achievement gap, with research showing that early brain development sets the foundation for lifelong learning and that playful learning in the children’s museum helps develop skills needed for success at school. BCM became part of the project Countdown to Kindergarten, Boston’s city-wide school readiness coalition. The Countdown classroom has a maths and science area, a dramatic play area, a reading and writing corner and a creative arts area. Here a child can practise activities needed for kindergarten, and adults receive messages about how to prepare for kindergarten. The judges said that BCM is the main institution in the city connecting its 550,000 inhabitants, open to all those who do not normally enter the world of culture, art and science and who have difficulties within the educational system. It connects children with first-class artists, including musicians from the Boston Opera House who give regular performances at the museum especially for the children. For more than 100 years the museum has played a leading role in the management of museological policy for children. It is a role model for work with children, creating landmark exhibits which are now standard in children’s and science museums in the USA and worldwide.

Boston Children’s Museum (Director: Carole Charnow) 308 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210-1016 USA Tel +1 617 426 6500 www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org

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THE 2015 CHILDREN IN MUSEUMS AWARD The entries for 2014-2015 were of an extremely high quality and a real testament to the growing maturity of a relatively new field for the museum profession. Each candidate was introduced by the specialist judges, one from each of the organisations, who had visited and prepared reports, after which each entry was considered fully and very carefully by the committee. Naturally the judges operate with both strict confidentiality and ethical standards, and if any person has any kind of conflict of interest at any point, they leave the room for the duration of the part of the discussion in question. The judges spent many hours in discussion. Finally, it was decided to make a special kind of award this year. Two of the candidates have been quite outstanding in their development and inspiration to others, certainly over the four-year history of the Award, but actually, for very much longer. They have, in their different ways, reflected the best developments in museology for children, in education and in communication. They have each made learning a core part of their mission, but they have put children and their needs and interests at the heart of that. They set great store by creativity and are lively and fun to visit. Children are participants and equals in their programmes. They strive to be relevant and topical and do not shy away from serious and controversial issues, like migration, conflict, war or death, that can sometimes be hard for children to understand, or which can make their lives difficult or puzzling. They are innovative, constantly finding new ways to be places which combine exploration, discovery and learning, with careful and clear display, and fun and enjoyment. And most importantly, they are places which are full of laughter, directed and staffed by people who really love children and want to do their best to help children to thrive. The result for 2015 This year HO!I and EMA wish to make two special Long-Term Achievement Awards to: Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, USA ZOOM Kindermuseum, Vienna, Austria

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THE TROPHY The trophy is a bronze statue of Miffy, the world-famous children’s character, which was created by Dick Bruna. The sculptor is Marc Bruna, Dick Bruna’s son. This (only existing) statue is a scale model of the original statue that is located in Utrecht, the home town of Dick Bruna in The Netherlands. The statue was donated to the city by the Soroptimist Club of Utrecht in the 1990s. 2015 is Miffy’s 60th anniversary and yet she still appeals to children all over the world – the Miffy books are now translated in more than 50 languages. As a character, Miffy embodies the principles of creativity, fantasy, openness (she looks at you), positiveness, freedom of thinking and child friendliness. Her profile as the familiar, friendly character that children worldwide recognise and love was underlined in 2004 when New York City chose Miffy as their Family Tourist Ambassador in a bid to attract tourists’ families back to the city, post 9/11.

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APPENDIX ONE: LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR THE 2015 AWARD

Austria Klagenfurt: Wissens-Wert-Welt – blue cube & kidsmobil www.wissenswertwelt.at Vienna: Haus der Musik www.hausdermusik.at Vienna: Jüdisches Museum Wien www.jmw.at Vienna: Technisches Museum Wien www.technischesmuseum.at Vienna: ZOOM Kindermuseum www.kindermuseum.at Belgium Frameries: Le Pass – Park d’Aventures Scientifiques www.pass.be Croatia Ogulin: Ivana’s House of Fairy Tales www.ivaninakucabajke.hr Denmark Ishøj: ARKEN Museum of Modern Art www.arken.dk Roskilde: Roskilde Museum www.roskildemuseum.dk Germany Berlin: ALICE – Museum für Kinder www.alice-kindermuseum.de Frankfurt am Main: Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt www.schirn.de Stuttgart:Junges Schloss. Das Kindermuseum in Stuttgart www.junges-schloss.de Italy Firenze: Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi www.palazzostrozzi.org Trento: MUSE Science Museum – Maxi Ooh! www.muse.it Tyrol: Castel Tirolo Museo storico-culturale della Provincia di Bolzano www.suedtirol-it.com/tirolo/museo

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Luxembourg Luxembourg: Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean www.mudam.lu The Netherlands Amsterdam: Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam www.verzetsmuseum.org Amsterdam: Science Center NEMO www.e-nemo.nl Den Haag: Gemeentemuseum – Wonderkamers www.gemeentemuseum.nl Hilversum: Beeld en Geluid Experience www.beeldengeluid.nl Rotterdam: Museum Rotterdam ’40-’45 NU www.ovmrotterdam.nl Norway Oslo: Nobel Peace Center www.nobelpeacecenter.org Romania Bucharest: National Museum of the Romanian Peasant www.muzeultaranuluiroman.ro Singapore Singapore: Asian Civilisations Museum www.acm.org.sg National Museum of Singapore www.nationalmuseum.sg Singapore: Singapore Philatelic Museum www.spm.org.sg Slovenia Celje: Museum of Recent History – Herman’s Den www.muzej-nz-ce.si Ljubljana: Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana www.mgmi.si Spain Barcelona: Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona www.museuciencies.cat Sweden Eskilstuna: Stadsmuseet www.eskilstuna.se/stadsmuseet Suriname Paramaribo: Villa Zapakara voor Kind & Cultuur www.villazapakara.com Switzerland Lausanne: The Olympic Museum www.olympic.org/museum

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Turkey Gaziantep: Toy Museum (no website) Istanbul: Sabanci University Sakip Sabanci Museum www.sakipsabancimuzesi.org United Kingdom Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books www.sevenstories.org.uk United States Boston: Boston Children’s Museum www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org Miami: Miami Children’s Museum www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

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APPENDIX TWO: THE PANEL OF JUDGES

Camila González Gou was until recently curator at the Museu Frederic Marès in Barcelona, following terms of office at the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, the Centre Gestor de Museus and the Museu Reial Monestir de Pedralbes in the city. A founder member of the Associació Catalana d’Arqueologia, she was Chairperson of the ICOM Spanish National Committee (1990-98) and Treasurer of the ICOM General Executive (2001-2004). Formerly a National Correspondent for the European Museum Forum, she is now a member of the European Museum Academy’s pool of National Representatives. A professor in courses of Museology Studies in Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife and Girona Universities, she has written articles and publications on museum education and legislation, and has a particular interest in cultural tourism and museums as educational tools. [EMA]

Claudia Haas trained as an art historian and archaeologist and in the early 1990s she worked on the development of ZOOM Kindermuseum, a children's museum in the Museums Quarter of Vienna, developing the institution from a temporary exhibition space to an organization with a staff of 70 employees, welcoming 120,000 visitors per year and defining the mission, content and program of the museum. She is now a member of the museum’s Board. Since 2003 she has been working as a museum consultant specializing in planning visitor-friendly museums to attract culturally diverse audiences. Claudia Haas also works as a consultant for museum education for UNESCO, as well as teaching and holding seminars at international museum conferences. [HO!I]

Arno van Berge Henegouwen. After his biology studies at Leiden University Arno’s first job was director and curator of the Natural History Museum in Tilburg. Later he became head of the Natural History Department of the educational museum of The Hague, Museon. Since 1990 he has written plans for several exhibitions, museums and visitor centres in Holland and Germany. Museonder, the first underground museum in the world developed for the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, was one of the highlights. It was followed by a new visitor centre in the same National Park. He initiated international exhibitions in The Hague such as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, now in its 23rd year. From 2001 he completed the new permanent exhibition in the Museon, Your World, My World which

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opened in 2006. As an author he has written several popular science books and children’s books on topics including marine biology, evolution and biodiversity. As a scientist he has published on aquatic insects and dung beetles. In his spare time he is an ardent nature photographer. He is a Board member of the European Museum Academy. He retired from his work in August 2013 and is now a museum consultant. [EMA]

Gregor Isenbort studied economic and social history and philosophy in Bonn (Germany) and Perugia (Italy). 1998-2002 were spent at the House of History of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, before moving to the Rhineland Industrial Museum (2003-2004). From 2004 to 2007 he worked at the Rhineland State Museum in Bonn, before winning a DAAD scholarship in Bogota, Columbia (2005-2006). In 2007 he became Head of Public Relations and Temporary Exhibitions at the Museum for Communication in Berlin, where he stayed until 2013. He is currently Director of the DASA Working World Exhibition in Dortmund. [EMA]

Gail Dexter Lord is a Co-President of Lord Cultural Resources Planning and Management Inc., which she co-founded with her husband Barry Lord in 1981. With a network of offices in Toronto, New York, Paris, Beijing, Beirut and Mumbai, Lord Cultural Resources is now the largest cultural planning firm in the world, having completed over 1,900 cultural planning and management projects in 50 countries and on six continents. With over 40 years’ experience in the arts and cultural sector, Gail is committed to assisting institutions, communities, and their leaders develop their cultural resources, including children’s museums. Gail has co-authored six museum planning manuals that are being successfully used in university museum studies programs. [HO!I]

Andreja Rihter has strongly supported cultural heritage projects and activities at the national, regional and international level - as the Minister of Culture in Slovenia (2000-04) and former director of the Museum of Recent History, Celje, and through other positions in national and European cultural organizations, including the European Museum Forum (national correspondent); the Museums Association of Slovenia (president, 1998-2001); the Museology School of Celje, Slovenia (initiator and Head); ICOM-ICTOP

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(board member (2007-, vice-chair 2010-); the Forum of Slavic Cultures (founding member and initiator, 2002-, president 2002-05)). More recently, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage, 2010–2012); the European Museum Academy (president, 2009-); Hands On! International (vice-president, 2009-2011) and Member of Parliament of Slovenia (2008-2011). [EMA]

Margherita Sani has a degree in Literature and Philosophy (University of Bologna) and an MA in Museums and Galleries Administration (City University, London). She works in Italy at the Istituto Beni Culturali of the Region Emilia-Romagna, where she is in charge of international projects – in particular on museum education, lifelong learning and intercultural dialogue – and organises international training events in the museological field. She co-ordinated the EU funded Network ‘LEM – The Learning Museum’ and has led several other European projects, many of which have been identified as best practice. Since 2008 she has been on the executive board of NEMO (Network of European Museum Organisations). She has edited various publications on museum education and lifelong learning, intercultural dialogue and quality in museum work. [EMA]

Veronica Sekules is Deputy Director and head of education and research for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia in Norwich, where she was formerly a curator. She is responsible for developing learning and research programmes, educational events and conferences, artists’ projects and residencies, outreach and training with students, schools, teachers and the public. She trained as an art historian, specialising in the Middle Ages and 20th-century art and is widely published in these areas. She has an MA in education and is an active educational researcher and writer. She directed the Culture of the Countryside project, funded by HLF from 2008-2011, about which she is now writing a book, and is currently one of the editors for World Art, a journal published from 2011 by Routledge. [HOI!]

Nurit Shilo-Cohen was with the Israel Museum in Jerusalem for 40 years. She was an art curator, senior curator for museum education, chief curator and director of the Ruth youth wing and curator of children's book illustrations. Nurit is the author of many articles and books including ‘The Big Book of Illustrators’. She chaired the jury of the Israel Museum's Ben Yitzhak Award for the Illustration of a Children's Book. She holds a degree in art history and Jewish philosophy and a degree in biology, both from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Nurit was a board member of Hands On! International, and is now a museum consultant residing in Jerusalem and Singapore. [HO!I]

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Petra Zwaka is currently the Head of Cultural Affairs in Berlin-Tempelhof Schöneberg and the Director of two regional history museums and memorial sites. She has spent more than 25 years working in the museum and cultural sector in Berlin, and has created numerous interactive history exhibitions and projects, ranging on topics from local history to cultural history, the culture of remembrance and the history of migration. She is the author of several books and articles on local history and cultural education. In 1994 Petra founded the Jugend Museum in Berlin (Youth Museum) as an integral part of the regional history museum. She is an advocate for the benefits of exploring history with children and young people through methods of experiential and interactive learning strategies. Since 1991 she has been Director of the regional Schöneberg Museum in Berlin. She is curator of several exhibitions and author of articles and books. Petra has been involved with the Hands On! International Association of Children in Museums since 2005 and until recently she was an active member of the Board. She developed and managed the 6th Children’s Museums’ Conference in Berlin in 2007. www.jugendmuseum.de [HO!I]

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APPENDIX THREE PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE AWARD 2012 Tropenmuseum Junior, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2013 Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, USA 2014 National Gallery of Denmark (SMK), Copenhagen, Denmark