The Museum of Making at the Derby Silk Mill has been listed as one of the best in the country and following it being nominated for an industry award which could see the facility win a huge cash boost.
The museum is one of five to be shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award for 2022, the world’s largest museum prize. The winner will receive £100,000 – the largest cash prize in the world for museums – from the Art Fund. The other nominees will receive £15,000.
The Museum of Making opened in May 2021 after an £18 million renovation, which has turned it into an interactive space which celebrates Derby’s heritage. D2N2 LEP contributed £3.7 million towards the project via the Local Growth Fund.
Since it opened a year ago, the museum has welcomed 100,000 visitors to the 300-year-old Silk Mill, widely regarded as the world’s first modern factory. It has over 150 volunteers which help to care for the unique space and over 30,000 exhibits, which showcase the city’s industrial past to future generations.