Woodhorn Museum wins Best Accessible Museum in the Family Friendly Museum Award 2026
Woodhorn Museum in Northumberland has won the Best Accessible Museum category in the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award 2026, it was announced at an awards ceremony in Birmingham on Monday.
Run by charity Kids in Museums, the national award celebrates museums, galleries, historic homes or heritage sites in the UK that go the extra mile to provide a great experience for families.
Launched in 2004, the Family Friendly Museum Award is widely recognised as a benchmark for excellence in the heritage sector. Each year Kids in Museums receives hundreds of public nominations, which are whittled down to a shortlist by an expert panel. The final say goes to families, who pay undercover visits to each shortlisted museum over the summer holidays to decide the winner.
Woodhorn Museum clinched the win for its commitment to ensuring families of all backgrounds, abilities and needs could enjoy their visit with confidence. Judges highlighted the proactive and knowledgeable staff, who took the time to share information about quieter sessions and sensory considerations.
Families appreciated that accessibility was woven throughout the visitor experience, from braille signage to audio descriptions in exhibitions. Judges felt Woodhorn Museum successfully combined a strong sense of welcome with practical, meaningful support, creating an environment where families could focus on spending quality time together and enjoying everything the museum has to offer.
One family judge said:
“This is a wonderful place for kids of the North East to learn about their heritage in a fun and interactive way. It’s incredibly good value and everyone was welcoming and supporting.”
Woodhorn Museum offers a wide range of experiences for families to enjoy together, from hands-on activities and trails to outdoor play, events and exhibitions inspired by Northumberland's rich mining heritage. Accessibility is embedded throughout the museum, with sensory spaces across the site, specially designed access guides and social stories, quiet spaces, Sound Down Sundays, an accessible Pit Yard Play Area, Changing Places facilities and a range of resources to support visitors of all needs and abilities. Where possible, the museum also offers relaxed sessions for selected events, helping to ensure every family can explore, learn and make memories together in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
We're absolutely delighted that Woodhorn Museum has been named Best Accessible Museum in the Family Friendly Museum Award 2026.
Jo Raw added, "This recognition means so much because it reflects the experiences of the families who visit us and the dedication of our team, who work hard every day to ensure everyone feels welcome, supported and able to enjoy all that Woodhorn has to offer. We'd like to thank Kids in Museums, the family judges and everyone who has visited and supported us. Accessibility is at the heart of everything we do, and we're incredibly proud to receive this award."
Congratulations to Woodhorn Museum for winning the Best Accessible Museum category.
Alison Bowyer added, "Our undercover judges were impressed with the accessibility of the museum from the moment they walked through the door, with a warm welcome from staff helping visitors feel relaxed. Accessibility has been built into the multi-sensory interactives, activities and facilities from the start and families really appreciated how that enabled them to have a stress free, fun day out.”
What a fantastic achievement for Woodhorn Museum, and all the staff who work there.
Wendy Pattison added, "Ensuring attractions are accessible to all in Northumberland is really important to us, and this award definitely shows the team at Woodhorn have gone above and beyond to ensure the area's rich heritage can be enjoyed by so many. Well done!"
The Family Friendly Museum Award has been made possible by funding from Arts Council England.
