The news comes as the Fitzwilliam celebrates record-breaking visitor numbers with 2025 becoming the second-highest attendance on record (493,612), following a record-breaking year in 2024 (506,428).
The Fitzwilliam Museum has today been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026, the world’s largest museum prize.
Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year. The 2026 edition recognises inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2024 through to winter 2025. In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, judges are tasked to evaluate museums who through unexpected, innovative and forward-thinking practices, are pushing the boundaries of what a museum is or can achieve.
The other shortlisted museums are The Box (Plymouth), The National Gallery (London), Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery (Norwich), and V&A East Storehouse (London). The winning museum, recipient of £120,000, will be announced on 25 June at a ceremony at Cutty Sark in London. £20,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists – an increase of £5,000 for each museum – bringing the total prize money to £200,000.
The 2026 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes: Tony Butler OBE (Executive Director of Derby Museums), Yinka Ilori MBE (artist), Alice Loxton (historian, author and broadcaster) and June Sarpong OBE (broadcaster, writer and campaigner). The judges will visit each of the finalists to inform their decision-making, while each museum will make the most of being shortlisted over the summer through events and activities for new and current visitors.
Luke Syson, Director and Marlay Curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum said, “This is a really exciting moment for the Fitzwilliam. It’s lovely to receive Art Fund recognition for the journey we’ve been on in the past few years, expanding our narrative and evolving our collection to link past and present, local and global, creating a museum where we hope everyone feels they belong. Our collection remixes, bold exhibitions, and innovative partnerships have encouraged reflection, dialogue and creativity – and Art Fund support has been crucial for our transformation.”
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund said, “Congratulations to the Fitzwilliam Museum on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026. The five shortlisted museums this year showcase extraordinary breadth of creativity and innovation, demonstrating the vital role museums play in building a brighter, more connected future for us all. From opening up world-leading collections to connecting with communities of all ages through ambitious exhibitions and programmes, each one offers something special. ‘We are thrilled to celebrate their achievements as finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year, thanks to our National Art Pass members who make the prize possible. We hope people everywhere will be inspired to explore the finalists and their local museums, to see firsthand the treasures and experiences that are open to everyone.”
Part of the University of Cambridge and founded in 1816 for ‘the pursuit of learning’, the Fitzwilliam Museum is home to an extraordinary collection of works of art and material culture primarily from Europe, North Africa and Asia. Its current exhibition, ‘Frank Bowling: Seeking the Sublime‘ offers a rare opportunity to see the breadth of Bowling’s career, from his earlier figurative works from the 1960s to the dramatic, abstract paintings that the artist is best known for today.
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source: cam.ac.uk