Think big and go for it!

We spoke to Dr Karen Buchanan, Curator of AIM Member Gairloch Museum about their recent Art Fund Museum of the Year accolade.

Can you tell us a little bit about Gairloch Museum?
Gairloch Heritage Museum opened in 1977 in a converted farm steading, its mission to “promote and encourage interest in, and care for, the history, culture, beauty and character of the Parish of Gairloch”. Renowned primarily for our social history collection, our acclaimed displays also include the first Pictish stone found on the west coast mainland and the enormous Fresnel lens of Rubh Re lighthouse. In 2009 we achieved Museum Accreditation status.

ore than just an independent museum and 4* VisitScotland tourist attraction, we are the centre for historical and genealogical study in Wester Ross and offer events and activities all-year-round for visitors, residents, schools and community groups including the disadvantaged and socially isolated.

In 2019 we moved to a new building – a repurposed nuclear bunker. The innovative transformation of this building from village eyesore to 5 star attraction was the result of tireless effort, enterprise and determination by the Board, our volunteers, and the wider community. Since opening in July 2019, we have received praise for the originality of our building and the excellence of our permanent displays. The new museum has successfully won the support of our community, raised our profile nationally and attracted enthusiastic new visitor audiences, and in October this year we were announced as winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year.

What is the Museum of the Year award all about, for those new to it?
The Art Fund Museum of the Year award is the largest and most prestigious museum prize in the world. The prize champions what museums do, encourages more people to visit and gets to the heart of what makes a truly outstanding museum. The judges present the prize to the museum or gallery that has shown how their achievements of the preceding year stand out, demonstrated what makes their work innovative, and the impact it has had on audiences. In a normal year, five museums are shortlisted, and one winner takes the prize of £100,000. In 2020, in recognition of the unprecedented challenges that all museums faced, the five shortlisted museums were named as joint winners. They equally share an enhanced award of £200,000 – a 40% rise over previous years.

How did you get involved?
All museums are eligible to apply for the award. We completed the application form, outlining to the judges what made us a candidate and why the past year had been exceptional for us. We also had to submit a three-minute video telling our story.

Apart from the accolade, what do you see as the key benefits of your win?
The press coverage that we received as a result of our win was phenomenal. As well as articles in all the national and regional press, our Curator appeared on national television and radio talking about the award. We have been given a generous marketing budget for the year and had access to a PR company in London and a creative agency who we worked closely with in the run up to the announcement. Our visitor numbers have shot up in the immediate aftermath of the announcement. There is no doubt that our profile has been raised very significantly. We obviously welcome the £40,000 of unrestricted funding, and we are looking forward to working further with Art Fund and the other four winners over the course of the next year.

What advice would you give any AIM members looking to take part in the future?
I would recommend that other museums in the same position think big and go for it. Independent museums are doing a fantastic job within their communities and deserve recognition. If an AIM member feels they have had a particularly successful year for whatever reason, I would urge them to apply. The whole experience has been fantastic for us, even though we did not get to go to an award ceremony in London because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

www.gairlochmuseum.org

www.artfund.org/museum-of-the-year