Derbyshire museum' wins award for offering great family experience

Derbyshire Museum of Making impressed judges with its hands-on activities for families.

A Derbyshire museum has won an award for providing a great experience for families.

The Museum of Making based in Derby Silk Mill scooped Best Medium Museum in the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award 2022.

Competing against three other museums in the category, the museum clinched the win with family judges impressed by how all generations could get hands on and make together. The retro arcade event was a particular hit!

One family judge said: “The staff are this museum's biggest asset. From the moment we stepped up to the entrance we were greeted by smiles and everyone seemed pleased to engage with us, even the smallest member of our group was spoken to and was asked about what they wanted to see (trains!). Even the most taciturn of 15 year olds thought the Arcade exhibition was ''cool''. Praise indeed!”

The museum was also praised for working closely with its local community and providing great facilities, including discounted parking and a family friendly café.

Admission to the museum is free, and families are encouraged to be curious, learn together and to try their hand at making, whatever their ability, inspired by the museum’s vast and unique collection of made objects and stories.

A vibrant programme of hands-on making activities, inspired by STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths), is available for families to participate in throughout the year. They can even curate their own collection tours around the museum’s huge open store of 30,000 objects, using the museum’s bespoke digital interactive, Trailmaker.

The museum offers special sessions for babies and tots to explore their senses and develop creativity and confidence through play, family workshops, drop-in events, on gallery-makes and maker encounters, as well as themed exhibitions, trails and tours.

Derby Museums’ director of programming, Cathy Putz, said: “We are delighted to have won the Kids in Museums Best Medium Museum Award, especially as the decision was made by undercover family judges who visited our museum over the summer holidays. Our staff and volunteer team work tirelessly to ensure that our family offer at the museum is relevant, welcoming and inclusive to all and we are delighted that families felt this passion and commitment in their experience on site.”

The National Emergency Services Museum at West Bar, Sheffield, won Best Small Museum and Overall Winner in the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award 2022.