NZ Museum Awards
The New Zealand Museum Awards for 2013 were announced at a sold-out celebration dinner in Hamilton on 11 April. Congratulations to all winners and finalists, and to all who entered. It is great to showcase of some of the fantastic achievements in our museums and galleries.
Winners:
Significant Redevelopment - Toitū
Public Programmes - Auckland Museum for UrbanLife
Innovation/environmental/technology - The Kauri Museum
Small museum exhibition - Fashion Museum for Home Sewn
Art exhibition - Christchurch Art Gallery for Outer Spaces
The awards were sponsored by ServiceIQ, National Services Te Paerangi, New Zealand Micrographics, Philips Selecon
Download the 2013 Museum Awards media release.
For the full list of finalists, see media release here.
See photos of the Awards night on our Facebook page.
2013 New Zealand Museum Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do the judges need to know?
A: They need to know basic information such as who was involved, what the project entailed, where it was held and when. They also want to know what is special about your project - why you undertook the project in the way you did, what challenges you overcame, and why it is worthy of recognition.
Q: What supporting evidence should I submit?
A: More is not necessarily better, however to illustrate your project, you could include some or all of the following: plans, reports, photographs, graphic material, visitor book comments, blog posts, media hits.
Q: What are the judging criteria?
A: The judges will be looking for excellence, relevance, inclusion, innovation and vision. Some or all of these criteria will be applied as relevant to each Award category. For details see terms and conditions above.
Q: Who are the judges?
A: The three judges for 2013 all have long involvement in museums and galleries and bring a range of perspectives to the awards. They are: Greg McManus, Chief Executive of Waitangi National Trust and MA Board member, Jane Legget, Senior Lecturer at AUT, and Tim Walker, consultant.
Q: What qualifies as a museum project?
A: A project does not only have to be an exhibition. There are lots of exciting initiatives going on such as education programmes, public events, interpretation, sustainable practice and research projects. We welcome entries from all kinds of projects which contribute to the museum and gallery sector.
Q: How many awards will be made in the Museum Achievement category?
A: The judges will be asked to look for particular qualities, including technology, innovation, sustainability, and design. The number of awards made will depend on merit, and the judges may decide not to make an award in some of areas – or to recognise other achievements. Broadly categories include: exhibition, innovation, significant project, and small museum project.
Q: How can you compare the work of museums with larger budgets to smaller museums with stretched resources?
A: The awards celebrate the unique and creative ways museums bring collections and stories to life - this does not always require big budgets. In addition, the judges have the option to specifically recognise smaller museums.
Q: Can I nominate a museum or person for the awards?
A: All nominations must come from Museums Aotearoa members. If you are not a member but would like to be involved, either go and talk to your local museum, or contact Museums Aotearoa.
If you have any questions about the awards which you think would be of interest and/or benefit to others, contact us and we may publish them here.
Awards Background
From 2008 annual Museums Aotearoa Awards have been presented to celebrate individuals and organisations who achieve excellence in the museum and gallery sector in New Zealand.
The Awards are open to individual or museum members of Museums Aotearoa, and are intended to:
- encourage continuous improvement and development of museums and galleries
- inspire and recognise best practice and innovation
- acknowledge the contribution made by individuals to their institutions and to the gallery and museum sector
- enhance the profile of galleries and museums in local and wider communities