Art Fund Museum of the Year: V&A East Storehouse and Norwich Castle among finalists

The Art Fund has announced the finalists for its annual Museum of the Year prize, one of the UK's most prestigious museum awards. This year's shortlist includes the V&A East Storehouse in London and the Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, both recognized for innovative approaches to visitor engagement, collection transparency, and participatory experiences. The V&A East Storehouse inverts traditional museum logic by opening its storage areas to the public, allowing visitors to circulate among thousands of artworks normally kept off display, thus transforming conservation and research into part of the exhibition experience. The Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery was nominated after a major renovation that repositions the medieval castle as a contemporary space for historical debate, reconfiguring galleries and narratives to incorporate new perspectives on identity, heritage, and regional memory, while integrating technology and accessible resources to diversify its audience. The Art Fund prize evaluates cultural impact, innovation, and community engagement. This year's selection highlights a shift in the role of museums: beyond spaces of contemplation, finalist institutions are betting on expanded access, public participation, and critical reinterpretation of collections to remain relevant in the contemporary landscape.