Jenni’s Museum Awards 2012

This time last year, I did an extensive review of my ‘52 Museums in 52 Weeks‘ challenge. And I held my very own ‘Museum Awards’ for 2011 by choosing my top 3 museums in each of several categories (here and here). I thought it would be fun to do the same again, though I’ve cut it back a little year to choosing just one candidate for each category – which was not easy to do, believe me! Actually, it was difficult not choosing the National Museum of Scotland for all the categories;-) I also dropped the categories “wow moments” and “personal favourites”, which I’d already covered in my post summarising my 100 museum visits of 2012, as well as the category “personal highlights” which I covered in my New Year post with a general review of the past year.

So, are you ready for Jenni’s Museum Awards for 2012?

Best Temporary Exhibition

“Film Noir” at the Deutsches Filmmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany

A must see for lovers of old movies like myself. Covering all the defining elements of film noir, the exhibition included ample audio and video samples to peruse against the backdrop settings of a private eye bureau and a 1940s lounge. Honourable mentions also for “DIY: Die Mitmach Revolution” at the Museum für Kommunikation Berlin, “Fascinating Mummies” at the National Museum of Scotland and “Schinkel. Geschichte & Poesie” at the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin.

Best Event

“Night of the Mummy” at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

Best Interactive Experience

Deutsches Filmmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany

A museum covering the historical development of visual media, from early optical illusions to the first moving images in cinema screenings, as well as a focus on how film narrative is achieved through acting, sound, image and editing. A host of working models, digital interactives, audio and video clips make this a multi-sensory experience that it’s hard to tear yourself away from. I spent four hours there and it still seemed to short! Honourable mentions also for the DDR Museum in Berlin and the National Museum of Scotland.

Best Food

Museu de la Xocolata, Barcelona, Spain

I didn’t really spend much time last year eating in any of the museums I visited, but the Museu de la Xocolata gets special points for it’s admission tickets which were made, of course, from chocolate! Honourable mentions also for the meatballs and baked goat’s cheese at the Berlinische Galerie and the cheesecake at the Jüdisches Museum Berlin.

Best Effort for Accessibility
(previously ‘Most Accessible Venue’)

Zvarnots Historical and Cultural Museum Reserve, Armenia

The Zvartnots Museum Reserve is known for being one of the few museums in Armenia with full barrier free access to wheelchair users, and it’s programme of working with visitors with disabilities. Honourable mentions also for the National Museum of Scotland which makes it so easy to navigate you almost forget you’re pushing a pram!

Friendliest Staff Experience

Yerevan History Museum, Armenia

I arrived at the museum just as it was closing, but the staff unlocked the galleries for me again and gave me a personal tour! Honourable mentions also for the Jüdisches Museum Berlin and the National Museum of Scotland, who are both always super friendly when I visit with #MuseumBaby.

Most Family Friendly Venue
(new category)

Museumsdorf Düppel, Berlin, Germany

This one was a difficult call to make, but the open air museum on the outskirts of Berlin made for the perfect family summer day out, with a medieval village to explore, activities and games to try, animals to feed, wide open spaces to run around in and a picnic in the meadow. Honourable mentions also for the Deutsches Technikmuseum with its planes, trains and automobile to make a little boy’s heart beat faster, the Jewish Museum Berlin with its unexpected appeal to toddlers, and of course our all time family favourite, the National Museum of Scotland.

Most Curious Collections

Museu de l’Erotica, Barcelona, Spain

With its erotic collection ranging from the Kama Sutra to contemporary Pin Up culture, and including some original early pornographic silent movies commissioned by King Alfonso XII himself, this museums is certainly a curiosity. Honourable mentions also for the Museu del Perfum, also in Barcelona, the Hammer Museum in Frankfurt and the Zucker Museum (Engl: sugar) in Berlin.

Most Unique Experience

Torchlight Tour at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany

A definite contender for the most awesome birthday present ever!

Best ‘Hidden Treasure’ Discovery

Museum of Fire, Edinburgh, Scotland

The term “hidden gem” was made for this museum at it’s gorgeous collection of historical fire engines and other related ephemera. 

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Please note that these are entirely personal recommendations and assessments. Also, I did not eat, try to access with a pram, use all the interactives, or interact with the staff at each of the 57 museums I visited in 2011. So, just because a museum is not mentioned does not mean it had bad food, no interactives or unfriendly staff.

The ‘Historisches Museum Frankfurt’ is having a Blog Parade about the best museum exhibitions of 2012, so if you read German, head over to their blog  for more interesting reviews!